


Ouija Boy

by XExcelsior



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: AU, Ben and Dave here to play, Ben dies in a totally different way 😅, Canon Divergence, Death, F/M, Five on another Mission after they stopped the world from blowing up, I ain’t finished the comics yet, I hope, Inspired by the comics, Itll make sense, Kids discovering new powers, Klaus discovering new pesky yet awesome powers, M/M, Reginald And his amazing ability to lie lie lie, Set Modern Day, Two timelines, Vanya is now included and somewhat under control, Warning diverges from the plot of the comics A LOT, good old dad still died lol, icarus - Freeform, inspired by the show, ive brought in OC characters inspired or connected to other characters in the comics lmao, they all have to find new purposes now, things changed, trying to update daily, we follow multiple characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-11-02 01:27:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 63,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17878475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XExcelsior/pseuds/XExcelsior
Summary: Klaus has gone missing.It’s not really worrisome until the order comes through to “Eliminate Klaus Hargreaves”





	1. The Dead Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus finds himself in the middle of a fight with hundreds of the dead, and Five has a troubling question on his mind after finding a secret file.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist for Klaus & The Story  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/21kh6rzuepxnlprh7b5mld32y/playlist/04lexsHANa27HBJbey6eld?si=5bM2f29qS72ONflsxuPyYA

Klaus wasn’t stupid enough to believe this to be a good thing. Well, for a moment he had never been so happy or excited, not until his hands lit up and like a Beacon the dead followed. He had been running for the last two miles, half desperate to drink himself under or take drugs, and too scared to be left vulnerable to the dead.

Every once in awhile one broke through the barrier enough to swipe at the back of his shirt, and he knew he was in _grave_ danger. “Do you think they can be shot?” 

“I don’t see you carrying a gun, Dave!” Klaus yelled, 

“Klaus, you can remake the barrier, between the living and the dead,” Ben chimes in, ever the helpful little ghostie. “Just imagine a circle. Remember when you found out Dad hid the fact you could expel away the dead, since it’s would hinder you and throw a safety blanket over your shoulders? Well he’s not here,” 

 _I can do this, yes, I can do this,_ he had all of the inspiration in the world and two of the best people ever beside him. He stopped in the middle of the road and held out his hands, he didn’t know if it would be an actual circle or a bright light, but he had a harsh wake up call when nothing happened and the dead crashed into him.

Ben tried his best to fight tooth and nail and Klaus swung his arms around frantically, and then Ben was swiping him up and holding him high into the air. “Can ghosts fly?” Klaus yelled, Ben shrugged and and Klaus kicked his legs and tried to use the dead’s energy to expel himself higher, to fly... to do _something_. That night kept flashing in his head as the dead screamed and clawed at the air, he was in that dark room again and surrounded, only this time the room flashed bright and Klaus came to on the ground.

”Klaus?” Dave questioned, and Klaus sat up quickly enough to collide his forehead into Dave’s “you did it, man,”

”Hey... the bastards are gone,” he breathed out, “shit...where’s Ben?” It was like a bucket of ice had been dumped down his back or the dead was still touching him, sending shivers up his spine, “If I sent him to the otherside-“ he didn’t continue, he didn’t want to talk and despite his ever growing crush and possible brooding love for Dave, he didn’t exactly want to discuss it with him of all people.

He wished he could discuss Ben’s disappearance with Ben. Luther and Diego would just get really angry if he told them, Alison would be supportive and empathetic but unhelpful and Vanya... it was possible she would have some sort of idea. Number 5 would just sigh at him, like he expected Klaus to fuck something up sooner or later. “We’d have to go rescue him,” 

“How did I catch you again? With a big net?” Klaus sighed, he would never admit that the sigh had an air of _dreamy_ about it. “If I pass out will you get us a hotel?” Dave opened his mouth but Klaus’s head hit the ground painfully.

 

**Number 5**

Number Five had quite the important task at the moment, now that the world was -currently- not in any danger of blowing up and he couldn’t spend _all_ of his free time hounding Vanya to practise, he did not have a purpose. So he gave himself one. And it started with good old Dad, if Reginald Hargreaves had a power Five was sure it would be _lying_.

And now it had came to light that their father had far more secret rooms than originally thought, Five’s current objective was to unleashed each and every one, and decipher a strange file he had found in the arm of a statue. It had blue prints to a strange underground tunnel, oddly reminiscent of a subway station. And it had lists and lists of names each and every one had a power, and Five could only guess those were the other children born on the same day. 

And a woman named nothing more than _‘Project Birth,_ ’ and Five wanted to forcibly squeeze the answers out of his fathers dead body. “Vanya,” the girl jumped at the sound of Five’s voice and looked ready to object, “Don’t worry, this isn’t about the training,” and she deflated in relief. “Have you seen Klaus?”

”Klaus...” Vanya trailed off, “he’s been gone for about five days. I assumed he ran off or went to find drugs,” _to get clean only to relapse? ... Sounded like Klaus,_ Five concluded.

”If he has I will beat him black and blue. I need to talk to dad,” Five complained, “and it seems he has grown a brain cell and removed the tracking device I implanted into him whilst he had taken A-Z on the Periodic table,” back to square one. Five would have to investigate Project Birth without any hint, not that Dad would be all too likely to give him one anyway.

”Dad?” Vanya questioned, “something else to worry about?” She whispered, Five nodded firmly and held onto each corner of the file as he opened it. “Project Birth. Sounds ominous... I hope he wasn’t trying to make more of us,”

”I’m not sure... it’s not that bad of a guess,” and Vanya looked vaguely proud to not only be given the chance to give her thoughts on the situation but also to talk case, “How would you like to go on your first ever mission Vanya?” Five asked, Vanya felt her stomach drop to the ground and sweat gather on her palms. “I require your assistance in finding one stupid brother of ours,” 


	2. The Corpse Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus ventures Into a world much like his own, and so very different. 
> 
> And strange things occurring down town has Diego worried

 

**Number Four/ Klaus**

The first thing Dave said when Klaus woke up was a thinly veiled complaint about how difficult it was to acquire any sort of weapon, and the second thing was that Klaus had been out for three days, and Dave didn’t know what to do. “You’re pretty calm for a guy I just brought back from the dead,”

”How did you do it?” Dave breathed, he was knelling beside the bed, wide eyes filled with wonder and Klaus shrugged, “you said the year was...2014...?”

”2019,” Klaus corrected, “I don’t know how I did it, but I know it sent every dead fucker in the last 100 miles directly to me. Not that it isn’t lovely to have you, of course,” He winked, “I am so sick, I can feel the flu already building up,”

”Really screwed you up didn’t it?” Dave huffed, “they talked about the blast on the news. But the government said it was Nuclear testing,”

”They thought I was an alien,” Klaus said, and Dave smacked his arm, “I will take a guess that you can no longer see the dead. And Ben definitely isn’t here right this second, I’m going to assume I banished him,”

”Don’t jump to conclusions,”

”Well, either he and the army of ghosts are gone, or he’s on his way back, in which case I’m sure his dead friends will want to stay for tea as well,” Klaus pointed out, earning him another smack. “Can’t believe I’m doing this, but I’m going to shield my eyes from your beautiful face to try and get Ben back,” Dave held up a hand and clicked the TV off, wanting to limit every sense he also drew the black curtains, though they were cheap and pretty thin, it helped dull the room just a little.

”I’ll go have a shower whilst you do...your... thing,” Dave waved a hand but Klaus was already sitting cross legged with his eyes closed, so Dave kissed the side of his head and disappeared into the bathroom. 

Klaus imagined everything from the darkness, to Ben’s face, to the cold and the smell of the dead, and Ben’s death. He could feel a tugging like a catch on a fishing pole, but he was so distant and Klaus was so terrified he was opening that beacon, that _light_ again. But he propelled his mind forward until he was home. The Umbrella Academy. It was dealthly silent and dim, and as cold as a cemetery. 

“Ben...would be a great moment to scare Jesus Into my soul,” Klaus called out, he noted how his voice echoed and a fog left his mouth with each word,  _K...l....Kkklllauuus.....Klaus!_ Klaus leapt back, shoulders bumping into a framed portrait of dad that swung. “Ben?” Klaus jumped forward and slid on the wooden flooring as he tried to run down the hallway. 

“Klaus...” Klaus fought with the choice to cover eyes or ears, he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move and vomit threatened to rise in his stomach. “Go...” Ben rasped, Klaus choked and shook in place, “Just turn, walk. Don’t look,” _god_ Ben looked like his mutilated self, the body none of them had the chance to get a good look at, and nobody wanted to.

Klaus thought that this was probably the first time he saw the real damage of Ben’s body in death. He’d give anything to unsee it. “Take my hand...” Klaus kept his eyes squeezed shut and held out his hand, swinging it left and right until Ben grabbed back, his freezing palm was a shock but the warm liquid on it far more shocking. “Oh my god...that’s blood...that’s blood,” Ben went to tug back and Klaus gripped tighter.

”You’re dying,” Ben whispered, Klaus didn’t let go though. Not until he had his brother back, dead or alive. “You’re in my land now, Klaus. You’re going to get stuck here,” he warned. Klaus ignored his idiotic brother, refusing to hear it and started walking back the way he came, dragging Ben by the hand. 

“You could have done this a long time ago, then perhaps you would not be in this position of possible death,” Reginald spoke up, Klaus dared to peak an eye open and saw him sitting at his desk, the wide doors open. “And you could have learned sooner to only attract certain spirits to yourself, instead of the entire underworld,”

”Oh, cram it,” Klaus snapped, storming past the office. 

“You know you’re going to create a hole from the afterlife into your world, right?” Ben questioned, Klaus breathed in and closed his eyes, _as long as the dead stay dead,_ he opened the main doors and stared back at Ben, “when you went back with the others, you tried to prevent my death and it didn’t work. Maybe it’s destiny,”

”then I would have to admit Dave will die again, and I refuse,” Klaus huffed, 

“You know... If you think Vanya can learn, so can you. We’ll figure out how to keep the dead away or how you can stop being scared of them,”

”Oho, last time daddy dearest said that to me, I was having a pillow fight at a sleepover with the dead,” he grinned, “I swear, the first person to suggest I bring him back from the dead, will be hung above the fireplace as a decoration. Now, to the land of the living, my dear younger brother,”

”We’re the same age... _Klaus,_ ” Ben stopped in his tracks and Klaus stumbled back into him, 

“shit,” Klaus whined, as always it was too easy to hope for an in out, so many of the dead were blocking his path, “hold onto my shirt,” once again Klaus imagined that protective bubble and with his now freed hands he held them up, and a burning, dull pain shoot through his cheek, evidently, apparently not caused by any protective bubble, and he hit the ground, “fucker just Mike Tyson’ed me,” 

“ **Klaus? Come on-“**

“Yes Dave!” Klaus yelled Into the sky, lightening shot down and the dead began to crowd around with gaping mouths. “Bring me back to life you beautiful sweet man!” And the more intense the lightening got, the less the dead could grab at him, Klaus kicked one in the knee and grabbed both of Ben’s arms.

”Klaus-“ Klaus yelped and sucked in a breath that burned his lungs, Dave was stood over him, two wires in his hands and Klaus could very much guess what was going on, given he had a burn on his chest and no shirt on. “It didn’t work...” Dave said, as he stared around the room.

“I can’t believe you Frankensteined me,” he choked out, and his head moved left and right frantically as he looked around for Ben. “Success!” He cheered when he saw Ben sitting in the corner of the room, not looking quite as gruesome but definitely more dead than usual. “Sort of...” He added on.

 

**Number 2 / Diego**

“Did you see that Eudora?” Diego frowned, eyes staring into the dark clouded sky, where he’d seen yet another blast of some sort of energy. He worried for a moment it was Vanya until he’d seen her and Five drive past. 

“D-Do you think it’s  someone like you? ...It’s freezing all of a sudden,” Eudora tugged at the jacket she wore, having dressed for the hot sun early this morning, 

“We should go there, check how much damage that blast did. We may have to resort to drastic measures if it turns out the blasts are killing a lot of people,” they nodded at each other and Diego whipped out his knives, “did I ever mention how sweet it was for you to get me a position as a police advisor,” Just as expected Eudora decided to ignore him for the entire journey, doing nothing more than jotting down today’s events in her notepad. “Do you think that’s the place?” Diego asked sarcastically. Eudora rolled her eyes and walked ahead.

It was -for lack of a better term- _swarmed_ with Police officers, and bright yellow tape was being pulled around every little thing in the vicinity, they both held it up as ducked under, “The roof is still on,” Eudora pointed out, “maybe the blast happened outside?” 

“Well,” another cop interjected, making Diego scowl, “actually a witness said the hallway lit up with light, could have been light coming in from the window outside, but they reckon it came from inside a room,”

”So, there’s a chance the blasts are nothing more than energy and can’t cause any damage. Surely it must be doing something...” she trailed off, “the last blast was only about a mile away, whoever it is can’t seem to travel very far,” 

“We need to stay in the area, we might catch another blast in time to question the person causing them. You-“ Diego pointed at the cop, “did the hotel tell you who it was who checked into the room the neighbour claimed the blast most likely came from?”

”Uh...well, they said either it was Cathleen’s room 409, or Dave’s room 407. There’s nothing to indicate it was either. They said Ms. Cathleen checked in with her young son, and Dave checked in with a black out drunk friend,”

”Well, could have been the kid, or the passed out friend,” Diego suggested, “get me survallience tapes, I want to see who left,”

”That’s the thing, the cameras malfunctioned. And the electricity blew,”

“You could have lead with that,” both Diego and Eudora snapped.


	3. The Lost Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanya and Five check out some security footage, and Dave has to think quickly.

**Number Seven / Vanya**

 

Vanya was tasked with visiting the nearest nightclub - incidently Klaus’s favourite. No room, stall, or corner went unchecked and something pulled deep in her chest, something kept telling her she wouldn’t find him in some alleyway or nightclub, something instinctual warned her it could be something else.

She remembered Diego mentioning Klaus’s mood the other day and how he seemed withdrawn and unlike himself, and she’d even heard him discussing a boy with Luther. It was entirely possible Klaus was just simply experiencing his first heart break and wanted to be alone for awhile. Privacy. Vanya could understand that better than most.

“I see...” Five trailed off when Vanya told him this. “So we track down the boyfriend,” 

“I’m sure he’ll be back, Five,” Vanya said, “I think we should wait for him to show up,” and Five, clearly now on a Witch-hunt shook his head, _yet another thing to obsess over and fill his time, of course he wouldn’t let this go._ “Have you ever considered going to college, and becoming a Detective?” She questioned, “its all about the mystery and bigger picture,”

”perhaps...” Five trailed off, “when we have sorted everything else. Now, Klaus, decide now if you wish to aid my search,” Vanya could also understand the importance of a support system and distraction, and at the moment Klaus didn’t have either. She wanted to find him before he chooses to go back to drugs, unless he already had.

”Where next?” Vanya asked. 

 Apparently Five had lit up like a lightbulb was over his head, a very boring and drawn out mission it was and not the style of any sane person. Five decided to follow Klaus using security cameras backdating to where he’d gone. Five started at when Klaus came home from his last trip he’d disappeared on, slouched shoulders and both exhausted and looking the most unstable she’d ever witnessed him looking.

She felt just a twitch of guilt in her stomach for not noticing. “Write it all,” Five commanded, Vanya sighed and clicked the pen, telling the events as it went down. Klaus went to bed, woke up at 6am and began to frantically flush every single drug in his room, and every little pill, bag, or drop of alcohol hidden around the house. So Vanya scribbled _sudden desperation to become clear; unlike Klaus._ And Five hacked into every camera in every street, each capturing images of Klaus walking away.

”What are you two doing?” Where Vanya jumped and caused a scatter of papers, Five didn’t even blink, or avert his gaze from the screen. 

“Looking for Klaus,” Vanya said,

”Klaus?” Luther raised his eyebrows and settled his hands on the backs of their chairs, leaning down to watch the screen, “he’ll be out getting trashed, drugged up, sexed up, _as usual_ ,” 

“Yes we all know,” Five waved his hand dismissively, “I have my tricks to sober people. I have to have him conjure Dad up,” and Luther huffed to himself, 

“Dad won’t tell you anything,” he sneered at the memory of Reginald. 

“Yes, and though Klaus was probably lying or drugged to the high heavens or just plain crazy, he did claim Ben hit him not too long ago. If it _is_ viable... perhaps I can can torture the answers out of Dad...” both Vanya and Luther were quick to argue Five torturing anybody, and Luther also chimed in that Reginald wouldn’t break. “Oh he’ll break,” Five promised.

”Five... look,” Five still hadn’t turned away from the screen but he did lean closer to stare at the camera that had begun to turn into static, he switched from camera to camera and each was the same. And they cut out. “What happened?” Vanya breathed,

”Perhaps a hacker attempting to get away with a Crime,” Five replied,

”What about if something weird is happened with Klaus?” Vanya finally spoke her mind and the two brothers went silent, stared at her, at each other, and then smiled. 

“No way,” they both said at once, “this is just Klaus being Klaus... as usual,” Luther continued.

 

**Dave**

“I wish I could talk to you, Ben. I could do with some advice,” having been enlisted in the army and died in battle it was almost _easy_ to carry a very much unconscious Klaus. “I know I haven’t been dead a thousand years, but everything is still pretty different...” the silence of voice and squeal of the wind only served to make him feel lost. More lost than he’d ever been weaving through the trees. 

They had next to no money, no way to find any of Klaus’s family - who’d he barely spoke about in general, and before all Dave did was walk in a straight line to get to that hotel, but he’d  spent everything found in Klaus’s pockets on a couple bottles of water, a few rations, and a week stay in the hotel.

Which they never even got to stay for. Dave sighed and balanced Klaus long enough to take out the little money they did have, so he could count it. He could only hope Klaus would wake up before they ran out of food, because Dave had already concluded he was going to save the last of the money for medicine, if need be.

”For some reason I figured people would have stopped thanking us for our service,” he told The air.

The only thing he’d found in Klaus’s pockets was the money, The card he always carried around, and lint. But somehow Dave very much doubted the worn, wrinkled card for a cemetery would help any. “How long have you put yourself into a coma now, Klaus?” The thought that Klaus would be out for at least a week was a troubling one. 

Dave suspected Klaus wouldn’t actually wake for the next _two_ weeks. “Looks like I’ll have to drop you in the hospital, Klaus. Or you’ll dehydrate and starve to death...” he trailed off. So he began the long journey to make it to the nearest hospital by trying to hitch a ride. He held out his thumb every time someone drove past and in the shortest wait of only half an hour, a man pulled over.

”You alright there, sir?” He asked,

”My friend has fainted and I am looking to go to the nearest hospital. Only I’m not sure where that is,” 

“There’s one six mile from here if you’d like me to take ya?” The driver had apparently also served and knowing this was the future Dave didn’t know where to say he served, so he didn’t. He showed his tattoo and just hoped the man didn’t recognise it. “You two serve together?”

”You can tell?” Dave frowned, and the man nodded. 

“You never really make friends with anyone else. All mine served,” he reached out and gently turned up the radio, allowing calm, peaceful music to drift in and out of the windows, and the light breeze to cool their raging temperatures. Dave had put Klaus in the back of the dark, so he could lay comfortably, and he began to think about how different this Klaus was to the one he knew in the war.

All black nailpolish and feminine’s clothes, a loud presence he had. Dave had thought he would have to abandon Klaus, the war was different, there was always a looming threat of death, nobody cared if you fooled around. But something unfortunate happened that had nevertheless happened before, and that was the pesky development of a crush, and a second chance at life.

”That all’ son?” Dave stared out of the window, the bright lights glowing up the hospital were both threatening and inviting. Dave shook the man’s hand and opened the back. “He’s not looking too great, Glad to have helped you,” 

Dave hooked his wrists under Klaus’s arms and tugged him out, shutting the door after himself. “Of all the people, I get stuck with you,” he said to Klaus as he carried him to the entrance, “Hello I-“

”Klaus Hargreeves again?” The woman behind the desk sighed, “just sign this form,” 

“he’s clean,” Dave reassured, though the woman looked incredibly dubious. “Do a blood test if you want. Being sober is causing a lot of stress, and he was working extremely hard and collapsed for a few days at the beginning of the week, when he woke up he immediately overdid it,”

”So you can’t wake him. How long has he been out?” 

“Half a day. His heart stopped but I got it going again- He hasn’t done any drugs,’ the woman hummed and leaned forward 

“Nurse. Oz, I need an emergency blood test. One Klaus Hargreeves, allegedly hasn’t taken any drugs but his heart did stop and he is unconscious, kids body might be shutting down from the crap he filled it with,” apparently sympathy and softness wasn’t in the handbook this woman read, or in any test she took. 

“Hello, I assume you brought him in? Are you any relation?” A young pretty nurse had sauntered up, beaming and too happy to be working on a dying man, holding her little bag of needles and tubes, 

“Just a friend,” 

“Well, you can sit in whilst I take the blood, then you must wait in the waiting room, and at closing time you have to go. Follow me, I have to say I have seen Klaus more times I can count and never for anything that isn’t drug related. Aside from the few times I’ve treated a family member of his,”

”I don’t know how to contact them, I don’t suppose you do?”

”Afraid not. I was going to tell Klaus off for it next time he’d come in, since his last OD he put down a fake phone number for his brother,” _The ever predictable Klaus,_ The nurse gestured to the bed and Dave placed him onto it. He couldn’t blame them for thinking Klaus had taken something, he was as skinny as ever, bags under his eyes that were sunken in, and skin to rival his dead brothers. “He’s having a little trouble breathing, dehydrated, unable to be woken...” she mumbled to herself, all telltale signs of a drug overdose. 

“Test takes some time to come back, what are you going to do until then?” 

“Put him on Oxygen, get him filled with fluids, and see if we can bring him’ round. He’s in good hands, hasn’t died yet in our care,” she smiled, “There you go Klaus,” Dave felt nothing staring at the vial of blood, it should have brought something back, dead friends on a battlefield or staring down at his own blood splattered body. There was something less real about it being trapped in a glass vial. “We’re sending visitors home in next five hours,”

”And What time does visiting start?”


	4. The Brief Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five begins his investigation and Vanya discovers Klaus is in deep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Very brief Gloss over mention of suicide and death))

**Number Five**

“Vanya, I need you to keep on the search for Klaus. I believe it is time I move on to Plan B, and try to find out what Project Birth is. I feel as though it may be a code name for every woman who gave birth to a special child,” Five definitely wouldn’t be surprised if Reginald Hargreeves was looking to acquire more children for his team. 

What with Vanya being unusable, his disappearance, Ben’s death, and Klaus being a failure. That only left three. “The trusty yellow pages,” Five mumbled to himself, dropping the thick stack onto the table. “Let’s start with our other Ben, shall we,” Hour by hour went by, each and every person having told him they’d never been contacted by a Reginald Hargreeves and they were never born on October first. “Ben Kingsley?”

”Ben’s gone,”

”Was he ever contacted by a Reginald Hargreeves or born on October first?” This could be the one, he hadn’t mentioned being contacted but seemed off one day, and was indeed born October first. She told him he’d taken his own life, so Five hung up on her. “Another dead Ben, not surprising,” he licked his finger and turned the page. “Hello, is this Autumn Callie?” 

 

**Number 7 / Vanya**

Vanya had been attacked before, she not-so-fondly recalled Leonard’s staged attack but felt inherently more in danger in this moment than she ever had. She had hoped deep down changing some aspects of the timeline to prevent the apocalypse would also fix several of their other problems. It was a sobering thought that this was only the start of their problems, and that Leonard hadn’t showed up yet, granted Vanya’s book had been change depending quite a lot.

Extra-UNordinary. Vanya detailed their abilities but did not touch on the specifics just _manipulation, weapons talent, seeing the dead,_ and she certainly left out any detail that could be used against them. 

But apparently Cha-Cha and Hazel were still trouble for them. “How many more siblings we gotta tie to this chair?” Hazel complained. Vanya didn’t need to come around because they hadn’t even bothered to knock her unconscious, just scoop her up like she was a bug.

”Until they stop being pains in the asses,” Cha-Cha replied, Hazel stood over Vanya and she flinched as he shot something towards her face, he held up her book, the thick font staring back at her and the faces of her siblings all curled together, she felt that shooting pain in her chest, the one you get when suddenly you are overcome with sudden overwhelming love. 

“Well, it looks like her,” Cha-Cha said, she glanced between the picture on the back and Vanya and nodded, “Right. Let’s make it quick then, she’ll break quicker than the brother did, we’ll probably only need the nutcracker,”

”Right, Niccolo Paganini, we’re looking for The One that dresses like Lady Gaga,” Hazel held up the photograph of Klaus and all at once Vanya’s fears were confirmed, Klaus was in deeper than he could handle and he’d once again caught the attention of his kidnappers.

”Why?” Vanya asked,

”We’ll ask the questions,” Cha-Cha replied, “orders, kid. Now make this nice and easy,”

”It’s...it’s pretty easy...” Vanya mumbled, “we don’t know,” Cha-Cha’s face changed drastically, like the life’s had drained out of her eyes, and she took the nutcracker from Hazel, “I swear. Me and Five have Been looking for him for...like...a few days, Five even longer. Klaus goes missing all the time he gets drunk and takes drugs...” The two stare at each other, at Vanya, and then walked together to the other side of the room to mumble into each other’s space.

Vanya looked down and breathed in deeply, her bracelet, a little beaded thing with each bead differently coloured for each member of her family, it had started to undo and now hung limply from her wrist, she gently swung her arm until the bead clacked against the wood of the chair and closed her eyes.

 _Clack. Clack. Clack-_ “Right,” Vanya snapped out of it, a wave of both relief and disappointment shooting through her body. “Here’s how this is gonna go,” Cha-Cha warned, “we’ll let you go. Now run home to Five and tell him everything,” Vanya breathed out when Hazel cut the rope and she fled from the room.

 _They think I’m going to lead them straight to Klaus,_ she thought to herself, _if only we knew where he was. God, Klaus, what did you get yourself into this time?_ Vanya tapped her front pockets, and back until she felt the hard square of her phone and she pulled it out.

She tried Five first, of course, but he didn’t answer. _You have reached the voicemail of Five. Contact my siblings, I’m busy._ Vanya hung up and the next person to pop into her head was Diego, he had more experience with Cha-Cha and Hazel than anyone else aside from Five. “ _Vanya, Hey, I’m kind of working a Case right now,”_

”Bigger fish to fry,” She warned, “Klaus has been missing for god knows how long. And no it’s not a drug thing, he’s completely clean. Five and I have been looking for him, then all of a sudden Cha-Cha and Hazel start questioning me in his whereabouts,”

” _Are you telling me they’re looking for Klaus, why?”_

”They didn’t say, but they did confirm it was work related. They’re going to kill him, Diego,” 

“I’ll get an APB sent out for him, anyone we can spare will be out there looking for him. We’ll check every night club, alleyway, corner, rehab and hospital. He’s going to be a high priority case,”

”Diego, why do you think Klaus kept that man a secret.” The line went quiet enough to suggest the phones had cut off, or Diego had hung up, but then she could hear distant chatter in the background, “He could have talked to one of us, I know you managed to save Eudora for now, but you did see her die. And if not you, definitely me. Nobody understands better than I do,”

”Think it would have just hurt more to acknowledge it ever happened. Plus, none of us exactly freaked out when he disappeared for months on end, we didn’t even know he’d been _kidnapped_. Why would he trust us?” 

“Couldn’t stop me, couldn’t stop Five. Didn’t help Luther, or Allison. Never checked to make sure you hadn’t died fighting crime. This is more than just me, Diego. This isn’t just a _save Vanya_ mission,”

”We’ve been selfish, Vanya. But not you,” Diego said, “you have something all of **us** _don’t_ have. You worry about people who don’t deserve it. Now... the second we get a possible hit on Klaus, I’ll let you know. Chances are they’ll use the police radio to check in, so maybe make sure The others are ready for a fight,”

”Five’s a little busy...”


	5. The Revenge Plot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five has a cup of coffee, and Luther plans some revenge.

**Number Five**

Five threw his head back, charming smile ready to fit across his lips after the barking laughter he let out. ”No, I’ve truly had hundreds of coffee’s and I find this one of the upmost deliciousness, Ms. Callie. You mentioned as well a man attempted to buy your daughter from you, how bizarre,”

”Yes, was quite the figure. Definitely believed my daughter was conceived with...magic or some else, but my husband and I just knew it was a true miracle,”

”haha, Yes. So did this man ever contact you again? Follow you around? A man like that it would seem like he would be relentless, no?” Five hummed, the woman placed her finger to her chin and hummed back,

”No, I don’t believe so. No calls or emails, I think I would have remembered being followed around. But maybe he got the jump on us,” she laughed again and Five grinned, “so how do you know my daughter Autumn?”

”We attend the same school. I simply asked teachers to recommend some unnaturally special students, Be it intelligence wise or other and her name came up,” he lied smoothly, “my father was quite interested in the human brain. Do you know many other woman approached by this strange man seeking children for his orphanage?”

”Woman, no. But there is a single father at the school, we’ve bonded over the man approaching both of us,” _wife most likely died or he took custody_ , Five didn’t know how he was going to find out whether Reginald had been following these families. And he wondered briefly if he came up empty handed once again, whether or not he could squeeze the truth out of Pogo or their mother. 

 _Remember, us going back saved both of your lives,_ he’d say to them, _nightmares and torture and loud arguments at night all to save a world because we are the ones standing on it. We could have let you both die, tell me what I want to know. Tell me._ Five slammed down his cup and smiled again. “Ms. Callie. Do you ever feel as though you are attempting to solve a puzzle with a few pieces missing, you’re jamming them together but it will never truly fit. And where to find the pieces to fit when you didn’t have the puzzle last, an unknown did,” 

“I guess you buy a new puzzle!” She beamed, and Five sighed. 

“Perhaps there is no use trying to solve a broken puzzle no one else wants to help you solve. Not directly. Not because of their own interests but purely for you, and therefore why bother at all?” He shook his head, “it’s like eating food not because you are the hungry one but because the person In front of you is,”

 

**Number One / Luther**

The second Luther hung up his phone it had started to ring again. He didn’t spare even a moment to quickly pick up and inquire who Is was. “Space Boy, we’re all gearing up for a mission and you gotta help out,” Diego’s voice carried through the phone, Luther could hear distant sirens, murmurs and the sounds of guns being loaded and knives being sharpened,

”I’m kind of in the middle of something,” Luther said,

”Yeah? Well those two asshole assassins that shot up the school in the first time line are hunting down our stupid brother,”

”What’s Five done now?”

”Not Five. Klaus. He’s been missing for awhile apparently, Vanya tells me they’re looking to take him out on orders, meaning he’s fucking with time or some shit. But he’s our brother so we have to try to prevent him from getting himself killed,” Diego sounded tired, and drained, like he could turn to dust at any moment.

”You’ve got this,” Luther said, “I have a thing,”

”A thing?” Diego snapped, “Didn’t Klaus get in a fight and help your stupid ass when you got drunk as hell? Feel sympathy for you and look after you? And what? You leave him to die, there better be a good reason,” 

“It’s personal. Remember when we needed _your_ help and you went after the two assassins instead? It’s personal, Diego. And once it’s done I’ll tell you everything and you won’t be disappointed,”

”If any of us get hurt, I’ll pop your watermelon head,” Diego hung up the phone so violently that Luther could hear the slam before the line even cut off.

”Personal, Master. Luther?” Luther jumped and hung up his own phone, “I expect this from Master. Diego, never you Number One, it’s not like you at all,”

”Listen, if Klaus wasn’t in danger I would have had them help me on this, and trust me they _would_. But I can’t risk them taking the unintelligent decision to abandon Klaus for this mission. Which I am sure Allison and Vanya would not do. But Diego would, and with Five off messing around, they need all the men they can get,”

 “What is this about, sir?” Pogo frowned, 

“Have you seen Mom?” Pogo shook his head and Luther sighed, “well, when she returns can you tell her to not bother making any of us anything to eat. Make sure there’s plenty of medical supplies around, I think someone could die,”

”I am under the impression, Master. Luther, that you are going on a suicide mission?”

” _It’s personal, Pogo._ Rescuing Klaus is a suicide mission, too. Now I am going to stock up some weapons,” Pogo was seeing these people, once children, turning drastically before his very own eyes, with no way to prevent it. He stepped away from Luther and headed straight towards Reginald’s office, and began to pull file after file out of his cabinet. 

 _Personal grudge,_ Pogo thought to himself.

 

_ **8 Years Prior** _

“Well, Number One. I believe because your brother now believes he can freelance alone on missions, he will probably take care of the current situation downtown. If he wants to risk his life by working alone, then he shall,”

”Diego? No I’ve been checking up on him and he broke nearly all of his ribs. He’s out of this mission,” Reginald hummed and looked back down to his paperwork,

”Well, then what are you waiting for Number One? Today you finally have a purpose. Hunt the man attacking downtown and eliminate him,” Luther nodded and breezed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Everything had been so quiet lately, especially with Diego taking out of the bad guys. Luther felt particularly useless, and yet he could not force himself to assist his brother.

He was, as always, glued to his fathers side. He opened the weapons rack and stared behind himself as he pulled weapon after weapon out. Chaos. The streets were lined with fire and damage, from the blurry images Luther thought perhaps the man was like them. He shook the thought out of his head and shut the front door behind him.

This was the second time Luther Hargreeves almost died, had it not been for the serum in his blood perhaps he would not have held on for so long. But he had a moment he hadn’t experienced since his first ever couple of missions as a child. They all had done it at least twice, that moment ice shoots down your spine and you are frozen in time.

Shock or fear so prevalent that you can’t even think about breathing. He recognised this man, in the dark outfit surrounded by a ring of fire and the shock was enough to turn him useless. “I know you. How do I know you?” Luther demanded, the man stared back and the sky rained fire, ash filled the air and his lung and turned his forehead and nose dark and grimy.

And just as it struck Luther the fire also struck him down, this time he needed no intervention and monster serum to make sure he survived what the man had done. But he had slept for a long time, and when he woke up, he broke three tables and put a dent into the wall. 

Reginald told him to stop being over dramatic when Luther explained. After that moment, even eight years later whilst Luther walked down the street to battle this man once again, he wondered how he could have ever stayed, when Reginald told him to get over it Luther couldn’t believe he still went to the moon for that man.

Now he stopped around the corner, memories flooded his head from those eight years and Luther held up his hand, like snow ash rained down and gently carrassed his hand and he crushed it in his palm. Luther was going to destroy this man, turn _him_ into what he could create - pure ash and debris. He hadn’t felt a burning anger like this in quite awhile.

And there this man was, having come back all of these years later, with his strings of fire and circles and dark clothes and Luther clenched his gun so tightly that it should have went off. 

The first time Luther had ever seen this man he was on a mission with his five siblings. And he went home that night, burned, tired and with one less sibling. This man who had taken Ben’s life in both original and secondary timeline. This man who kept coming back to hurt his loved ones, a seemingly consistant part of the timeline - like Leonard, his siblings, Reginald Hargreeves.

Many things had changed this time around. But some stayed the same. And Luther burned.


	6. The Chaos Ensued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave meets an alleged friend of Klaus's brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl: this chapter is <3 <3 <3
> 
> [Your reviews make me want to binge-write this fanfic!]

**Hazel**

 

Cha-Cha had suggested that they begin their search at the hospital. Having reminded Hazel that Klaus had quickly given his brother up for just a hit of drugs, and they'd both quickly come to the conclusion that he was most likely in a hospital or rehab. Cha-Cha, wanting to get there before Five and his minions, had split up from her partner to go to the Rehab centres. And that, of course, left Hazel with the hospitals. 

He tried every hospital in the nearest vicinity but it took him a while until he got a lead. However, it turned out they sent him to a  _Claus_ and he was back to square one. "Hello, I'm looking for a Klaus Hargreeves?" Hazel was sweating, hair mottled and he'd already dropped the facade of professionalism to unbutton the top of his suit, and undo his tight sleeves. 

"Hm...relation?" the woman asked, Hazel, went with  _Uncle_ , and the woman nodded. "Um... We do have a Klaus on the second floor. Admitted for... huh, it doesn't say," she frowned, held up a finger and leaned down to grab her phone, and when she came back up Hazel had simply vanished. And the receptionist was stuck in a state of shock, holding her phone. 

Whilst in the elevator Hazel took the chance to ring Cha-Cha who wasn't exactly pleased that Hazel had possibly found the target before her. Especially since they had split up. "Should I wait for you, or neutralize the target immediately?"

"Assess the situation. His family don't know his whereabouts, so in theory, he should be alone," Cha-Cha replied, "however, we're not sure how much he knows if anything. If he's ready for us it'll pose a problem," Hazel couldn't' see how the kid could have found out, but he waited a few minutes before he began to check rooms. A Howard, Daniel, Smith, each and every room was a new person or mystery or sight that had Hazel reminding himself to tell Cha-Cha he was quitting soon. 

"Yes? Hello, are the results back?" like a puppy a man had sat up, and Hazel stared at him, and brown curls on the bed,

"I'm not a doctor. I'm looking for a Klus Hargreaves," The man's face changed drastically, he jolted back and stared down at the bed, 

"Are you...related?" Hazel decided to take a smooth route into the situation, he pulled up the other spare chair and weaved his hands together,

"I'm a friend of his brothers," Hazel said, "we go _very_ far back," the man nodded and stared at Klaus, 

"I didn't know how to find his family, or how to deal with this," The man was in over his head and that was clearly obvious to  _any_ person. He looked uncomfortable, lost, "he won't stop with his... " he made a vague motion with his hands, "One-minute life is easy, wake up, eat, get ready for combat. Take our breaks to drink and party, now I'm stuck next to someone who definitely would have been tried as a Witch in Salem,"

"Yes. His siblings are also cursed," Hazel pointed out, "I suppose that scares you," he reached behind himself, hand slipping into his back pocket and the man shrugged,

"Not _Klaus_. He wasn't confident in battle, struggled with emotions, was easily distracted and overall a very soft person. It took him a long time to learn how to shoot a gun, I was sure he was going to get his head blown off five seconds into battle, here's this hyperactive idiot and what the hell is he doing in _Vietnam?_ " he huffed, "now I've learned it wasn't exactly his choice, and It's _weird_ , yeah,"

Hazel moved his arm slowly beside himself and nodded along to the man's words. "That family has been causing trouble for about as long as they've been alive," he said, "sometimes we get a rare moment when one of them is left alone because they aren't affecting things drastically. It always seems to be Klaus's brother Five who is massive trouble,"

"Must have been a shock to find out Klaus was getting into trouble, then?" he smiled, "not that he _meant_ to. From the little Klaus  _has_ mentioned his brother always seems to go _looking_ for trouble, Klaus is just a natural magnet for it... Oh, I'm Dave by the way," and Hazel hummed, the man's eyes flickered down and he stopped at the sight of the gun and looked back up, Hazel hadn't expected such a man to stay sitting in the face of danger, and was ready when he shot out to grab the gun, Hazel snatched back and pulled the trigger, the first shot hit the ceiling and he elbowed the man in the stomach. 

But Dave put up a great fight. The soldier grabbed Hazel around the waist and pushed him back and back until he could slam his head against the wall and Hazel responded with a hard kick to Dave's knee and sent off another shot that skidded past his head and hit the window, causing a giant hole. And when the door flew open and doctors rushed in Hazel shot above the frame and they jumped back, and he took that moment to slam the door and pull block it with the bookcase. Giving Klaus's protector a moment to grab him around the neck and choke him until he turned purple.

Or until Hazel elbowed him in the stomach, knocking all of the air out of his lungs, and he raised the gun to aim it past his head. Straight to the bed. Having noticed this Dave leapt forward, grabbing at the gun and it went off. Straight into his shoulder and knocking him onto his back. Hazel straightened his suit and took the moment to pull back the blankets and aim the gun at the pale boys head. 

But he hit the ground at the fierce yank to his ankle, and gritted his teeth, holding up the gun, "Hold still," Hazel commanded and before he could shoot this visitor the both of them were on the other side of the room, both of their backs slamming against the wall. In a haze of confusion, their fight halted for a second until the room shook again and jostled them around. And then the window exploded. Glass landed in flurries like snow and a cloud of smoke burst into the room, setting off the alarms. "Bomb!" Dave warned, he threw his hands over his head and reminded Hazel of the mission. He held up the gun and the man paused, "You're trying to kill us when we're under attack?" 

"I have my orders, kid," The man shook his head and grabbed at Hazel's ankles and thighs and tried to lean up enough to wrestle the gun away, 

" _Hazel?_ " A loud banging filled the room, the door shook on its hinges and distracted him long enough for Dave to jam an elbow right into Hazel's nose. It all at once flooded with blood and exploded down his mouth. He grunted when he was struck at again with fists until Hazel could send off another shot which grazed his foe's side and embedded into the heart monitor, Dave groaned and grabbed onto the top of the gun and when Hazel held on with an iron grip and tried to pull the trigger again, Dave gripped the wrist and Hazel watched as the gun  _he_ was holding came down and smashed into the top of his nose. 

What was clearly an experienced and professional _assassin_ had been defeated and knocked unconscious by some nobody soldier, Dave had been underestimated and Hazel too confident and missing too many shots.  _Luck is on my side_ , Dave jumped up and ran over to the window, it was  _chaos_ _._ The world was on fire, and he was back in Vietnam. There were trees and buildings and  _cars_ in a blaze, the thickest and biggest ash cloud he'd ever seen was looming creepily in the sky. "We have to get the hell out of here, now," Dave said, he stared at the blocked doorway, and clearly the second attacker trying to break in, and back to the window.

 _Second floor, you have nothing but blankets and an unconscious man. Very light, this can work,_ Dave began to rip up sheets and unbutton the blanket coverings. He'd done a million risky things in his life as any soldier has, but tying a man to him and climbing down two story's had to be up there with some of the dumbest situations he'd gotten himself into. "It's a good thing you're good at talking, especially sweet talking," Dave pointed at Klaus, "I know you'll convince me to stick around with you when you wake up, but by god, if I don't want to dump you on the side of the road and disappear," because at the end of the day Dave hadn't expected  _Messing around_ to involve a ten month secret relationship, him dying and coming back to life and ending up in the future, almost losing Klaus several times, and finding out he can talk to the dead and has witches as siblings. And now assassins and bombs were being thrown into the mix.  _Messing around was supposed to be harmless fun,_ Dave thought. 

But Klaus had an addictive personality _which was quite ironic_. For his smile spread to others, his dancing, his fun and his trouble. He was a human chameleon, So it was no shock to Dave that Klaus catching feelings had spread to him eventually, too. 


	7. The Battle Field

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five gets some answers to his pending questions, and Diego is torn between two decisions.

**Number Five**

”Master Five... your siblings are not with you,” Five breezed past Pogo who hovered by the front door and curled his hands together, Five pulled out his phone and just as he suspected his siblings had messaged him, first Vanya who’d updated him on Cha-Cha and Hazel. Those two were really starting to get on Five’s nerves, “I believe Master. Luther has gone on his own mission, alone,”

”Good for him,” Five said, he clicked the kettle on and slammed down a white mug, “the first step is Luther finding his own missions, rather than being told what to solve. Even in death Father had told him to solve a possible murder,”

”It seems it is a suicide mission,” Pogo warned, “This is what I managed to find,” he held up one of the thickest files Five had ever seen, it was almost as big as Klaus’s file which was a full length novel all about failure. Five grasped at the file like a baby and managed to pluck it out of Pogo’s hands.

With one hand he poured hot water into his cup, with the other he began to steadily read. “This man attacked the city and Luther. I was not here so I am not aware of the effects of such fight. It does detail that Luther did indeed have his ass handed to him,” Five dropped the file onto the bench and stirred that delicious golden coffee into the water. “He’s going to get himself killed,”

”Do you not wish to assist him?” Five hummed to himself and took the first gulp, eyes rolling back, all of these years Five had completely mastered the best cup of coffee, suited perfectly for all his needs. 

“Perhaps after my coffee,” Five answered, “If he cannot stay alive that long, well, colour me unimpressed. It seems he and Luther have clashed previously. Also, Pogo, I want to ask you something,”

”Yes?”

”I trust myslef more to find answers than to rely on you, however, I am hitting a brick wall. Project Birth. I want you, or mother if need be, to detail what it was and if it is still continuing despite his death. I don’t want you to beat around the bush or attempt to lie, as you lying _destroyed the world, broke several bonds of somewhat trust,_ and caused absolute mayhem. Of course... I can use unconventional methods to convince your compliance,”

”Five,” Pogo scolded,

“This time there will be no more lies. No more deceiving. If I get a whiff of a lie or a secret that could effect the lives of me and the others, I will cut you out of the family,” Five smiled, all teeth and took another gulp of coffee. 

“Very well...however, Your father didn’t detail it much,” Pogo shook his head, “I was mostly researching for him... you see. This wasn’t like protecting and preventing Miss. Vanya’s abilities in order to stop the apocalypse. This was only research.”

”So he had no plan or ulterior motive? He just wanted to study what the other children’s powers developed into? Morbid curiosity. I can’t say it’s the most satisfying answer, but a realistic one, I suppose,” 

”Well... yes and no,” Pogo sat down at the table and Five hovered, warming his hands on the hot cup. “He did study whatever children he could track down, such as asking questions or just observing,”  _Creepy,_ Five thought to himself. “But that was a side, you see, that wasn’t Project Birth,” Five, now inherently intrigued raised his eyebrows, “he was simply trying to figure out how you and your siblings happened,”

”How it started...” Five trailed off, “Of course,” He confirmed, “He was interested in how we were all born at the exact same time, and with abilities beyond comprehension. What did you find out, Pogo?”

“I never got a chance to tell your father,” Pogo said, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of a girl, much older than any of his siblings. She was full of life, big toothy grin on her face and wind blowing her brown hair. “It...seems it began how it started, with power...” Five reached out and took the image, staring down critically. “I have only theories. But I talked to a nurse who said she shone October first,”

”The likelihood of her ability being fertility?” Five questioned, Pogo didn’t say anything but he nodded. “It spread like an infection then. Case closed, as easy as _who murdered who,_ when it begins with an insurance being taken out,” he pressed the photo into the table and slid it across. “Now What is the likelihood this will ever happen again?”

”I couldn’t say, Master. Five. I know this girl is no longer living, but there is a chance another could develop such an ability,” 

“Why am I not surprised the greedy old man wanted _more_ magical orphans,’ Five hummed and plonked his cup onto the table with a thump, “Suppose now it is my job to rescue everyone, as usual,” Five reaches into his back pocket and slammed his handgun on the table. 

 

**Number Two / Diego**

“What the hell Is going on Eudora?” Diego had turned around at least four times to watch the chaos happening around them. It took him right back to the theatre, the end of the world. Everything shaking and crumbling and on fire. “The sky is black with smoke,”

”There’s one of you, like, someone with abilities downtown,” Eudora’s voice was distant, overcome with the sounds of yelling, shooting and loud crashes. “Diego I need you here, it’s fucking bad,” Diego stopped walking, he gripped his phone and stared towards the fourth building they would all be checking, their fourth hospital.

”My brother, Eudora,” Diego said,

”I know. I know I’m sorry but, you made a promise... a pledge to protect the people. So many More lives are stake I would never ask you to choose if it wasn’t important,” Diego gripped his phone tight enough for his knuckles to turn white, “ _Diego_ ,”

”We’ve tried to fight these assholes. All of us at once. And they kicked our collective asses because they never... _underestimated_ us, they know how we fight and they Know we’re dangerous and they’re prepared for us. I abandon my sisters now they’ll die,”

”Diego... it’s okay,” Vanya stepped close to him, pressing her violin case to her chest, “I could always go downtown... my power it... should be a big help in theory,”

”No...” Diego shook his head and placed his hands on Vanya’s shoulders, “I need you here to protect Klaus. If you think you can take them I’ll go, but say the word and the end of the world couldn’t move me,” Vanya smiled softly and nodded her head, “Okay... Eudora, I’m on my way. Fill me in when I get there, you need to figure out everything you can about the attacker in the meantime,”

”Don’t die,” Allison warned,

”You two assholes will be in time for dinner, and you’ll be bringing a sheepish looking Klaus along with you,” Diego wrapped his arms around their shoulders and took off. If he looked back he’d  only hate himself, so he just ran and ran in one direction, blocking out all noise around him, and especially the sounds of his sisters chatter as he disappeared down the street. The closer to the main of the city, the harder it was too breathe so he wasn’t breathing. 

“Thank Christ. We got a guy, about your size. He’s setting everything on fire, we’re hitting him with all we have but he’s just... it’s not doing anything,” Eudora’s shirt had a giant burned hole in it and her hair stood in every direction, like she’d been in an explosion. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

”No - we truly are hitting him with everything and he’s just...absorbing it-“

”Not you,” Diego stepped forward, blocking the sun with his hands, “my fucking brothers are up there with him,” Eudora spun around quick enough to make anyone feel dizzy, and stepped forward, squinting her eyes. She could just make out two vague shapes, one massive and one rather small. The small blob of black zipped back in forth looking like flickers of lightning, and the bigger shape was throwing cars.

”Luther and that little kid right?”

”Five,” Diego corrected, “when I get them home I’m going to kick their asses,” he yanked out his knives and began to approach, walking down the middle of the road with twirls of ash and fire falling from the sky, he extended his arm over his shoulder and with  yell sent it flying through the air with all of his strength. It hit the man dead on his shoulder and her screamed. The scream sent horror down Diego’s spine, it was monstrous, it almost reminded him of Ben and the thing connected and one with his soul. 

The man flung his arms up and Diego covered his face when fire burst out like It was from a mythological dragon, sweeping the entire area with chunks of flames. He could hear Five’s distance voice from on top of a building and then his face was right in front of Diego’s. He grinned and took hold of Diego’s holders and the next moment he was up high.

The fiery attacker was on the opposite building, some sort of gigantic roof, “Took your time,” Five beamed, “this man cannot consistant shoot out beams of his ability. It works like blasts that build up, all we have to do is anger him and then he lets off, that gives us ten seconds of weakness,”

”Good thing something all of the Hargreeves have in common is pissing people off,” Diego said. 


	8. The Hunt Ends?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison and Vanya help a stranger, and Klaus is stuck in a familiar place.

**Number Three / Allison**

"Do you really think Klaus could still be in a hospital, I mean it's  _Klaus_ , the second he heard or saw anything he would be out of there without a moment's hesitation. Allison could see hundreds of people fleeing the hospital, arms swaying frantically and she could hear the loud crashed down the street and screaming. Vanya looked out of her element, nervous and horrified and they both stood there in front of the hospital and thought about that day, the day the world ended. 

"He could have always jumped out of his window," Vanya said, Allison huffed in amusement, "No, I mean he literally could have,  _look_ ," she pointed and Allison turned her head and frowned, it looked like someone had tied blankets together, sheets, spare hospital gowns.

"Do you think whoever it was kicked in that window?" Right where a giant knot tied, a window was broken, so Allison could only assume someone had taken more blankets to make it down, she wasn't sure if Klaus would do that but she was leaning towards it being him. "To be honest, I've seen him do some really smart things when he panics," 

"If so we probably missed him," Vanya sighed, "and I don't like that the blankets are covered in blood..." Allison stepped forward, once, twice, until she could gently touch the knotted blankets smeared with blood, and she leaned down, staring at what she found underneath the blankets 

"Cigarettes, his favourite brand. As far as we know he's alive. Just running around the streets. He probably wouldn't run  _towards_ the fiery chaos downtown. Let's just follow the drops of blood until they stop and just... walk in a direction," Vanya nodded and Allison squeezed her hand, and the two began to run down the street, Vanya wasn't much of a runner and hadn't been on missions but she kept up easily enough, since Allison was wearing a pair of high heels. "

"What do you think it was?" Vanya asked, "that made him a target..." Allison shook her head and tried to remove the twisting worry from her face. It was so exhausting to worry about so many people at once, to have all of these siblings who flirt with danger and depression. "The blood is getting pretty thin, Allison,"

"We might lose him..."

"If it even is him," Vanya pointed out, "surely anybody could have thought to climb out of the window, and a pack of cigarettes, what makes it _Klaus?_ " Allison breathed in and shook her head, they slowed to a jog, looking back and forth and Vanya glanced down every street and alleyway they walked by. " _-Allison!_ " Vanya shrieked, Allison, spun around just as Vanya yanked her out of the way and a bullet hit the window behind her head. 

Some random  _guy_ had shot at them, with no warning or reason and just as Vanya was about to pull out her violin she noticed he wasn't aiming at them, he kept ducking down and frantically shooting at two blurs of black. The two sisters stared at each other and Allison frowned, "that... looks like the two killers but... that's definitely not Klaus,"

"Do we step in?" Vanya asked, Allison nodded and Vanya clicked open her case, a wash of anxiety ran over her, crawling down her back and Allison wrapped an arm around her encouragingly, "Focus on the sound of music, then focus on two sounds, three sounds, and slowly draw yourself back," Vanya recited what they had taught her and grabbed her violin, letting the case hit the floor. She stepped forward and sliced her bow across her violin strings, she stared only at the two assassins, but it was no use, the sound screamed and shot out, throwing all three to the ground. Allison took her chance and ran at the two, and just as Hazel went to stand she sent a kick into his ribs.

Luckily, the man recognized friend from foe and didn't aim at them as he shot out from behind a tree, Vanya ran up beside Allison and sliced again, the surrounding area cracked and chunks of buildings flew off and barely missed Allison. When Cha-Cha grabbed Allison by the hair Vanya breathed in, harnassed the slight irritation she felt and sent Cha-Cha and Hazel through the air. "Come on, Sweetheart's, I have somewhere safe but we have to move  _now_ ," Allison and Vanya looked at each other, then at the two assassins standing up and began to run alongside the man. "They have firepower, abilities are one thing but if they shoot you your toast,"

"But if we run won't they keep coming after us?" Vanya asked, 

"Doll, We need more firepower. And there can't be an _us_ , I will protect you both and you can look after my friend," the sisters looked at each other, Allison raising her eyebrows. "They won't hurt you, don't worry,"

"We're the ones with the abilities. Don't you worry, we've got this," Allison slapped his shoulder and the man huffed and shook his head, amusement spreading across his face. 

"Fair enough," he replied, "I found a bomb shelter, probably used for situations like these - I'll get to patching myself up and you ladies if need be, then we're back out there," Disappointment spread through Allison's chest, her face twisting, a soldier -  _a wounded soldier_ , he would have known to climb out of that window. It wasn't Klaus. She looked at Vanya, trying to see if she was thinking the same, but Vanya was looking at the ground. 

"Well... I’m Allison, this is my sister Vanya,” Vanya awkwardly held up a hand and the man pointed at them,

”Right, I remember _your_ name, because I thought about how I’d never heard of someone called Vanya before. Klaus mentioned you,”

 “Wait, you know _Klaus_?” Vanya asked, 

“You know a guy called Klaus, who has a sister called Vanya?” Allison burst out, “Do you know where he is?”

”Mhm, sorry I only remember some of your names. Vanya, Ben And Diego. I’m sure he has another sibling or two...” A grin stretched across Allison’s face and she bounced in her step, 

“ _I heard a rumour,_ ” Allison said and Vanya whipped her head around, question on her tongue, “that you told me who you _really_ are to Klaus,” 

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

"This is definitely the first time I've been here but not been dead," Klaus said, "sorry to be back so soon," God stared at him, they were together in a beautiful, cosy, park, swinging next to each other on swings. Ben was sitting in front of both of them, silently and messing with a pack of cards. "Why am I here exactly?"

"You are trapped until you gain enough power to cross back over to the land of the living," God pursed her mouth and kicked into the dirt, sending her high into the air, "I must say I prefer you when you are attempting to reach your full potential. And if I wanted I could stop you from trying to take my job away from me and dictate who lives or dies. However, I believe an exchange is warranted for the pain,"

"The war and the dead? I'd think so," Klaus snorted, "I'm still going to try to bring back Ben," he said and God nodded, "but then I'm like totalllyyy done with the whole resurrection thing, unless, you know, somebody else gets themselves killed, then I will probably go back to doing your job," he looked left to right, and then at the sky as he flew through the air, kicking out his feet. "Never been on a swing before,"

"Quite pleasant," God replied, "I believe your father is waiting for you. But you are aware of that, but biding your time," Klaus grinned and held out his hands, just long enough to flinch and almost fall off of the swing,

"Yes, well, I do not want him  _demanding I bring him back to life!_ " Klaus directed that yell towards the little white building in the distance, " _Because it's not happening! you made your coffin lie in it!_ " Ben laughed to himself and shook his head, "wanna play Snap?" 

"if you ask me to play snap one more time, I'll make sure you're here forever," Ben warned, " _said with love_ ," he mocked and Klaus threw his head back and laughed, "why don't you go explore or something, find your army buddies or whatever,"

"Because I am and have always been an avoider of confrontation and stress!" Klaus exclaimed, "No father, no army buddies, no birth family if they are wandering around. Me, you, God, and snap, only exist here, just the way I sort of like it," Ben rolled his eyes and lay out the cards in a line, "no screaming dead, no fighting, no crave for substances,"

"No Dave," Ben added on,

"Mmm, Dave," Klaus sighed, Ben rolled his eyes again and flicked a card at Klaus's head, 

"Stop doing that," Ben pulled a face, "you're more goo-goo than Diego over his cop friend. Or Five with his mannequin. You get all gooey eyed and you... _mmmm Dave_ ," Klaus gasped and grasped his chest, 

"Not happy for your brother I see how it is," Klaus huffed and held up his head, "you like Dave anyway, you liar. Oh, this big strong sexy army man, but boy does he have his sides," he grinned, "did I ever tell you when he admitted what he was scared of?" Ben leaned forward, intrigued and shook his head, " _butterflies!_ " Klaus threw his hands up and went backwards off of the swing, hitting the ground, and burst out laughing. 

"Butterflies?" Ben raised his eyebrows, "ugh, you're perfect for each other," he snorted, Klaus sat up and grinned, 

"Ugh, I miss him," Klaus groaned, "this is why no strings sex was always the best growing up. But now I get all..." he dramatically wiped his eyes, "all emotional over  _butterflies_ -" 

"When can I see about banishing him back to Dave so he shuts up?" Ben asked, 

"About half a week to a week, depending on his inner strength. So I would not get your hopes up," God replied,

"Ouch, harsh crowd," Klaus said. "I will show  _you_ true strength," he stood up and froze, "maybe I won't. I don't want to see that bastard, he was still as unbearable the second time I saw him living in the second timeline, and he will be unbearable the second time I meet with him in the afterlife. Not to mention this is Heaven and-"

"This is not Heaven," God pointed out,

"And he is here. He should be in hell," Klaus complained, "can I put in a formal complaint that he be admitted to hell pronto, chop-chop?" he clapped his hands and stared up at the house,  _inner strength_ , he thought to himself. He pushed back  _Klaus_ , he let his other self come forward, the one that had stormed that front line and had the nerve to kiss Dave and fall in love. The Klaus that brought him back to life, and the Klaus that would save and ressurect his brother. "I got this," he said, and began to inch towards the house. "I got this,"

”You certainly took your time cowering at the park,” Reginald said as Klaus topped through the door, and just like last time he sat in the chair and his father covered him. “Did I not tell you about your potentional?”

”Yeah - yeah. I would like to note had you not locked me up in that dreadful place perhaps this would have happened sooner,” Klaus scolded, Reginald shook his head and coated Klaus’s face with the shaving cream.

”Had you concured your fear you would have been the most valuable asset on the team, Number Four. An on-hand medic, someone with the ability to cheat death. There is no losing a fight when death is taken out of the equation, unless _you_ die, permanently,” 

“Wouldn’t That be the dream,” he breathed, closing his eyes as Reginald dragged the razor up his neck, “I don’t want you to come back,” it took all of the strength in the world for Klaus to mutter those words, in _this_ moment. 

“Suit yourself, Number Four,” Reginald said, “the apocalypse has been stopped, therefore my purpose has been solved,” 

“Guess being a father isn’t on that list of yours. What you did to Vanya ironically was what caused the chaos you tried so desperately to solve. Even staring in the face of a group of children you destroyed you still can’t admit what you did,” Reginald didn’t respond, he curled his hand on Klaus’s chin and tilted his head up. 

“We do not know if you still could have prevented the apocalypse in a different environment, I was not willing to test the theory. In any timeline,” He pointed out, “Seven’s incapability to control her emotions was at the core of this, even when you played with her before her mind was wiped, she still was unstable,”

”I don’t remember anything from back then...”

”Three’s work. You beat Seven at a video game once and she broke your arm, though sorry afterwards her guilt and tears and the seclusion your siblings forced onto her after it did not unbreak it,”

”I broke Diego’s nose once... kids do that,” Klaus whispered, 

“This is a mistake you will regret. I did not want to get rid of Seven’s abilities. She was the strongest. However I tried everything and she insisted on murder and injuring others at the slightest spike of irritability,” Reginald tutted, “she already cut Three’s throat,”

”We prevented that, all she needs is a little training... but... _delicate_ training,” Klaus was almost trying to plead, like his father, even though he was dust had the last say. “Together we’re stronger than ever,”

”That I can... respect,” Reginald seemed uncomfortable with any sort of word that toed the line of compliment, “I watched you go onto that front line. That was stupid,” _ah, ever the critical dad._ “What I have learned From once being in love that it will kill you,”

”Was worth it... all of it,” Klaus saw the flickering of memories behind his eyelids, Dave’s death and the gunfire and the blood and the terror Klaus felt. When he couldn’t conjure him up. Having to ride back home alone, without him. Klaus clutched the dog tags around his neck, “ _was so worth it_ ,” Reginald whipped the cover off of Klaus and wiped his face with it. “You know, this is probably goodbye forever, right?”

”You can tell your siblings they cut it too close. The world almost ended,” Reginald said, “but I felt just a small bit of pride watching it,” Klaus huffed and stood up turning his back on Reginald. The room was an awkward silence until he touched the door Andy opened it, “Stay sober, Klaus,”

And That was the closest _love_ he was going to get from Reginald Hargreeves. But it made him feel lighter.


	9. The Poured Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison and Vanya learn secrets about their brother, and Ben checks in on his family.

**Number Seven / Vanya**

Half a mile to the base and Vanya had finally organised her thoughts. Dave had only stopped talking a little while ago and now her head was spinning, “That wasn’t right...” Vanya whispered, “he doesn’t even know us,”

”I wasn’t about to let another Leonard close to my family. And definitely not Klaus,” it went unsaid that Vanya and Klaus were probably the weakest emotionally. “And I didn’t think he’d go that far, okay?”

”It was an invasion of his privacy,” Vanya whispered, “I didn’t want to hear any of that, Allison. Especially when it wasn’t from Klaus’s mouth, I feel dirty. I feel like I betrayed his trust and I wasn’t even involved,”

”Do you think I’m a bad person?” Allison asked,

”I think you’re used to using your Powers. It’s like being brought up with money and not thinking as you buy a bunch of crap you don’t actually need. Maybe you could... benefit from maybe living more as a mundane, just for a little while,” Allison didn’t know who she was without her powers, how She could live that way. “If you can’t fight for what you want what’s the point?” 

“You think the rejection and the hard work and the paranoia and fear would make my life better?” Allison as actually asking, looking sceptical, sure, but also like the thought had crossed her mind. 

“I think you working hard to get your own way feels better than being handed it,” Vanya shrugged, they fell in silence and she let her mind wander as she focused on the trees, she tried to imagine Klaus, waking up in the middle of the war, confused and frightened and being dragged to training. And when Dave died and Klaus explained everything to his ghost, Dave said why he thought Klaus never left.

At first they were being attacked too much for him to get a moment to run back to base and escape. And then Dave, Dave had to reach out and introduce himself on the bus. They had to mess around and play games all the way to their destination. He had to seek Klaus out, like a moth to a flame. Dave had said Klaus was this bright light in a dark room, that he was confident, insubordinate, wild and full of life. That he didn’t mind dancing his way to breakfast or annoying the shit out of men twice his size.

And nobody really minded Klaus that much. They all thought he was dumb and would get killed two seconds into the fight, sure, but he brought a feeling of hope and happiness to camp. He reminded several men of their children or siblings. And Dave sought out any happiness he could find.

Dave was vulnerable and weak of mind but strong of body. He struggled with each and every death, with each nightmare of his own death, or their failure in the war causing their loved ones to perish. He admitted how he did like Klaus, but at first, it was because Klaus was a happy pill, a distraction, his loud voice and flamboyant actions distracting you.

So Dave kept sitting with him, eating with him, talking with him. And the first time Klaus was just the tiniest bit serious with Dave, Dave found himself crashing down and realising this man was his friend. Was a good friend, a best friend. And that was why Klaus had stayed, Dave knew he felt the same.

”Vanya?” Allison questioned, Vanya, looked up from her feet shocked to find her eyes blurry, she swiped at her face and her sister looked away, “I really didn’t mean for him to tell me all of that, Vanya. I just wanted to know if he cared, I didn’t even Know they were involved...” _Yet another thing Klaus should have told us,_ she thought to herself.

”Up ahead,” Dave called, they both jumped and breathed in, “it’s just a heavy door, can lock from the inside and out,” Dave grunted as he grasped the metal pull and Allison stepped up to help, Vanya plucked at the string of her violin and felt a weight lifting from her shoulders as the door opened.

Klaus was laying on a ratty old mattress, the place looked like it hadn’t been lived in or stocked up in a very long time. Just the mattress and a few supplies were left. Dave walked over to their brother, checked him over and pulled the sticky note off of his head. “He’s... out,”

”Yeah,” Dave sat down on the floor and opened a drawer above his head, “he overexerted himself, trying too hard to use his ability, he was out for a few days, woke up, now he's out again,”

”I can’t believe Klaus told you, did you not think he was crazy?” Allison asked,

”Well, it was hard to deny the evidence. Klaus... was able to see me,” the two stared at him and he shook his head, “I died. He conjured me, I saw him go back in time,” 

“But... we can see you,” Allison laughed, 

“You have a very special brother,” Dave said, he lay every bullet from the drawer in front of him and began to reload his gun. “He brought me back. To this time, it damn near killed the fool, but if Klaus is anything it’s determined, strong, relentless,”

”Are you saying Klaus brought you to life? Like, breathing living human, life?” Allison demanded, she reached out to touch his shoulders and hands and drew back at the heat radiating from him. “That’s not possible,” 

“It seems taking the drug so from such a young age prevented his powers from developing correctly. It’s causing problems, Klaus is now a conduit... not that he wasn’t already, but now it’s pretty bad, doll. He’s attracting every dead thing in a ten-mile radius. Animals, humans, you name it,” 

“Can they... hurt him?” Vanya whispered,

”Sometimes,” Dave said, “he’s safe for now because his power level is low, but it keeps building and exploding, when that happens they come running and they can hurt him,” Vanya slid down the wall beside Dave and ran her hands over her violin, remembering the bursting the incapability to control the sound and energy that burst out of her. That hurt Allison.

”Is that why people are trying to hurt him? Because he’s doing the impossible and bringing back the dead?” Dave shrugged at Vanya’s question and she stared over at her brother, feeling her chest threatening to implode on itself. And the cans on the shelf had begun to gently knock against each other, as she focused on Klaus’s breathing.

”Vanya,” Allison tugged Vanya’s hair gently and she blinked and jolted back, “just... he’s okay, we’ll figure it out. We always do,” 

 

**Number Six/ Ben**

 

It wasn't much of a surprise Klaus had pointed out that if Ben was going to cross to go check on their family and report back, that he absolutely just  _had_ to start with Klaus. Ben was pretty amused and maybe even relieved to see Vanya and Allison had at least found Klaus. Vanya was taking Klaus's pulse and frowning worriedly, Allison paced back and forth, and Dave was spinning the barrel of his gun.

"Here, let me take a look at that,"

"Vanya? you?" Allison questioned, "learn from Mom?" Vanya nodded and walked over to Dave, tugging up his shirt. Ben winced, twisting his mouth and nose at the gushing blood from the man's side. "That looks like it's been bleeding for ages,"

"It has. I am not the target therefore not the priority," 

"Jesus Dave, way to be dark," Ben commented to himself, he hopped over and stared at the wound, leaning right over Vanya's shoulder, "how the hell are you going to stitch that, Van?"

"Is there a first aid kit?" Allison asked and Dave shrugged, so she jumped up to go on a hunt. Ben took this rather boring moment to go look down on Klaus's body, definitely not the first time Ben had seen his brother unconscious.  _I'm a lower number, therefore more powerful, therefore I am your older brother. So you have to do what I say,_ Ben smiled at the memory and rolled his eyes. 

It was weird to see Klaus looking so lifeless. Every time he OD his mouth would fall open, or he'd start to shake and as terrifying as it was every time to witness... it was a constant he experienced. This was different. This was Klaus with no blood in his face, pale and slumped on his side, with his mouth closed. He breathed shallowly and each breath sucked in and released sounded croaky and strained. 

He asked himself how the hell he was supposed to just walk out of there, knowing Klaus looked as bad as he did. He turned around and sighed to himself, "what the hell are you up to?" he asked his siblings, Ben could always feel where his loved ones were, could always find them as every ghost could. And he could sense everyone barring the three in this room were together. It screamed trouble. "Look after him then, I'm going to see what these idiots are doing,"

In retrospect, Ben probably wouldn't have used the word  _doing_ , because this was more than just his family doing something stupid, what was happening would have taken his breath away if he breathed at all. Or stopped his heart. Five was bouncing back and forth and Diego kept tossing knives at him so he could catch them and defend himself. Luther was using polls he kept pulling off of drain pipes or chunks of cars. Ben stood on the building, watching his siblings fighting to the death and he felt weak, his knees were buckling. 

"Walk away," Ben said, "don't kill yourselves trying to get revenge. It won't solve anything," he added on, but then again the city was in this man's grasp and hadn't they been born for this very purpose? to save the innocent and protect the world they lived on. Ben shook his head and stepped forward, "Luther and I tried, I think Luther tried twice. He can't be stopped,"

"Diego!" Luther yelled, Ben ran to the edge of the roof and grasped his chest as he saw Diego falling, and breathed out as Five zapped down to catch him and toss him back on the roof, "idiot!" he snapped at his brother. 

"You're _all_ idiots," Ben shook his head, "he's kicking your asses," and didn't they know it, but would they stop? No. The truth was Luther, Diego and Five had one massive thing in common... they didn't know when to stop. They never gave up the fight, their prides wouldn't allow it, they had to be strong and invincible and could never flee in the face of danger no matter what. 

"Hello dear brother," Klaus greeted when Ben appeared in front of him, "darling siblings having tea?" he grinned,

"Klaus you need to wake the fuck up right now," Ben rushed out, "they need our help. They could really do with an army of seriously pissed off dead guys, or even just my powers. This is life or death, Klaus!"

"You think I'd be sat here in a children's park with God - who hates me by the way, and Dad about a metre away, getting stared at by a bunch of creepy dead people if I had a choice?" Klaus snorted, "I'd sure love to be important and have them grovel for my help," he pressed a hand to his chest, "but alas I am stuck,"

"Klaus I'm serious," Ben snapped, "Diego, Five and Luther are taking on someone dangerous, alone. They're getting their asses handed to them," Klaus puffed out his cheeks and twisted his lips,

"I don't know what you want me to do, no power, dude. Like, I'm all out of energy juice," Klaus slapped his chest and held his hands up, "unless you got an idea,"

"No..." Ben sat beside him on the swing and shook his head, "how badly do you want  _all_ of your siblings following you around, criticizing you for the rest of eternity. And annoying Dave?"

"As I said, no energy juice. God no I don't want that," Klaus shook his head, "my hands are tied and choked, and not the kind of choking that I like," 

"They're trying to kill the guy who killed me," Ben hadn't heard Klaus this quiet since...well, a few moments ago when he saw his unconscious body. He had his head down, kicking at the grass below, "First time I had to run in to save Luther's dumb ass," Klaus looked at his brother and frowned, "guy set the entire place alight. They got away with a few burns, I didn't," 

Klaus breathed out and closed his eyes, "and you didn't want us to hate him," he said, "Luther already mentioned it was his fault, he didn't specify but... we never really blamed him. I don't think we would have, maybe Diego would have at first but that's just because he's all  _meh I have to be the brooding bad guy here_ ," Klaus mocked, "God, anything you can do to recharge the old battery?" God kept walking and Klaus sighed, "do you think it's because every time I went through withdrawal I begged for the pain to stop, and promised God I'd never do anything bad ever again, then yelled sike when it was all over?"

"We've all done that," Ben pointed out, "She'll get over how angry she is at you pissing away your life on drugs," 

"So that's what this feels like," Klaus hummed, "knowing you can't help. Well, fear nothing Benny for I am the _Seance_ and  _Ra Al Ghul_ , and I will use my voodoo to bring you back," he declared.

"It was probably a one-time thing, you might never even have enough to see another ghost," the thought was both thrilling and exciting and absolutely terrifying for Klaus. No more ghosts, no more nightmares and  _needing_ the escape, he could just live a normal life. But that meant no Ben, his brother would be alone and Klaus figured he'd miss his sassy comments. 

"I'm not that lucky," Klaus smirked, smacking Ben on the back. "If it did happen, I'd just contact you VIA; Ouiji board like we were texting," 


	10. The Battle Won

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings fight to defeat a dangerous opponent.

**Number Seven / Vanya**

"Do you think we should head out soon to help Diego?" Vanya questioned, "it sounded really bad on the phone, and from what we saw it wasn't looking good," 

"Maybe the others know what's going on," Allison pulled out her phone and shook her head, "no signal. Will you be good if I walk a bit?" Vanya nodded and as Allison left the shelter Dave put down his gun and stared at the door,

"You sure it's a good idea letting her go off alone?" he asked,

"She was trained pretty well," Vanya pressed her lips together and awkwardly picked at a thread on her sleeve, 

"I was curious about how Klaus knew how to fight, yet had never been in a single war before," Dave agreed, “I can't believe he gets away with how he acts and dresses here," he huffed,

"That's just Klaus," Vanya smiled, "I can't speak for the entire world, but in the majority of the world you can be whatever you want. If Klaus wanted to marry a man he legally could," that was probably the most shocking statement Dave must have heard because Vanya could see the full blast of shock wipe across his face. "They probably would never let him adopt a child though, but yet again, that  _is_ because he's Klaus," they laughed to themselves, and each other, and at Klaus and with Klaus all at once. 

"He said you were a writer," 

"Musician, violinist, I guess sort of a writer... " Vanya trailed off, lowering her head, "In some ways, I don't feel guilty for writing my book, in other ways I wish I hadn't of let my emotions get in the way, I think I wrote some pretty bad things about my family," because kids were shitty to each other, and what were you supposed to do when you're raised to alienate your sibling? she hated them for it and didn't blame them for it at the same time. In Reginald Hargreeves mind Vanya was a blockage, something to get distracted by, something to lead you away from the main goal of saving the world.

"Soberer he got during the war, the less he started to hate what you'd written. Though he wouldn't say what it was, I can guess it had to do with drugs. Spent the first couple weeks never really mentioning family much," Vanya couldn't imagine it, thrown into a war, someone like  _Klaus_ who probably saw thousands of the dead and had to stay sober, or risk being high on the battlefield, and getting himself or someone else killed. 

"Do you reckon if we pried open his mouth and poured sugar and coffee in there he'd wake up sooner?" Vanya asked, with a small smile pulling at her cheeks. 

"Briefcase never struck me as a sugar-lover," they fell into a comfortable silence until the door crashed back open, Dave was on his feet instantly, gun pointed to the door, and Allison jumped when she saw it,

"I got through to Luther," she said, "he said there's a crazy guy downtown burning everything. And I kept asking him if it was a fight he could win and he kept deflecting... I think if Dave's got it covered here we should go down there," Vanya looked at Klaus and back to the door, 

"I think... one of us should stay, I don't think Dave will get as lucky next time around," Allison nodded and stepped back, "yeah," Vanya agreed, "they won't get past me. But, Allison, if it's starting to looking really bad, please call me,"

"Promise," Allison agreed.

 

**Number Two / Diego**

Patch hit the ground four minutes ago, someone had thrown a grenade  _Diego reckoned it looked like it came from Five_ , the man had tried to burn them all alive and Patch was hit by Luther. Diego would have torn his head off, but Luther had done it to block the fire from hitting Patch, so he let it slip through his fingers just this once. Number Five was getting increasingly angrier the more the man burned holes into his shirt. 

Luther was a force to be reckoned with. And despite having some of the worst grades of them all,  _whenever they took any homeschooled classes, that is,_ Diego could still figure out when something wasn't quite right, or add up. Luther was red-faced and throwing absolutely everything he could at the man, less determination and more fury. It had gotten so bad that Luther wasn't calculating the fight, wasn't bother to dodge, he just kept running at him and getting hurt. 

"What the hell is wrong you?" Diego snapped, leaning over his brother who was on his back and groaning, Diego yanked his head back to inspect the burns on his neck and sneered, "do you know this guy?" Luther squeezed his eyes shut and sat up,

"Yes," he grunted, Diego raised an eyebrow and turned, trying to search his memories, "he almost killed me once, the last time I tried to get revenge. He was the one that day... he burned the warehouse down,"

"What warehouse, man? you're talking crazy," Diego shook him,

"He killed Ben," Diego shoved off of Luther, and stepped back, clenching his fists and jaw. He battled with throwing everything he had at the man, screaming and butchering him and desperately trying to think, not lose himself to the anger that boiled his blood,  _breathe... you have to think about this,_ many times people - especially Reginald, tried teaching Diego to control his anger better, to think before acting, as it could get someone killed.

Diego wasn't a good rule follower. He heard Five calling him and Luther two massive idiots when Diego demanded Five teleport him to the roof. But Five complied and Diego was standing, facing the man who looked like the shell of a human being, it reminded him of Vanya at her performance, the hollow human she became surrounded by chaotic energy and darkness. As he ran at the man Five kept blinking in to block the shots of fire or simply warn Diego, and Diego raised his arm and shot a knife through the air.

As it sped towards the man he set the blade on fire, which did nothing but heat when it hit his chest. He shook, screamed, and fire burst out of him, Diego covered his face and everything went dark and when he opened his eyes he could see a chunk of metal jammed between them and an electrical box, holding back the fire that banged against it. Five was crouched beside him, "he's more annoying than _Vanya_ to fight," Five said. "Time to move," the fire had finally stopped and Five ran out from behind it and disappeared into thin air. And appeared behind the man, the man spun around, hair flying in the wind like tendrils and fire extended out of his arms, it was disturbing and turned his stomach that it looked like Ben's power.

The fire was long arms that wrapped around Five's middle and squeezed. "Five! Are you good?"

"Not quite!" Five snapped back, "it's not burning but it's getting _pretty_ hot," Diego swore to himself and stared back and forth,

"can't you teleport?" 

"Hadn't thought of that!" Diego swore again and yanked at the metal, until it screeched and unjammed, almost causing him to stumble off of the roof, he held it in his hands and started towards the man, from his back the fire kept shooting out and he used the metal to protect his face.

"Luther throw something at him!"

"What if I hit Five?" Luther yelled back, Diego struggled against the thick heavy current that shook the metal, almost forcing it from his hands several times, he moved closer and closer and threw it. It connected with the man's throat, knocking him back and off of the roof. Diego leapt forward, grasping at the man's collar. 

"Five! reach!" Diego yelled, he held out his other hand and grasped Five's, "hold tight," he let go of the man and Five let out a yell, close his eyes and squeezing his mouth shut. And Diego began to kick at the fiery tendrils until Five came loose and he could pull him up.

"You kicked me and dislocated my shoulder," Five said through gritted teeth, "idiot," he added on. "Luther is it dead?"

"I don't know," at that Five shook his head and blinked out of his vision, when Diego dropped to his knees and peered over the edge of the roof he could see Five kicking the man in the shoulder, 

"Toss me something sharp!" Five called up to Luther, Diego almost wanted to laugh but instead crossed his arms when Five caught a large pipe that hit him so hard he almost collapsed to the ground, they all waited around, anxiously and silently as he held up the pipe and drove it into the man's head with a sickening crunch, "day saved, once again," he breathed out.

"Five..." Diego said to himself, quiet and reserved until he confirmed his fears, "FIVE MOVE!" He yelled, Five stumbled back and disappeared in time for the man's head to explode with light that shook the buildings. Luther dropped onto his stomach and Five stumbled onto the roof beside him and fell onto his ribs, grunting and holding his shoulder as he did. Diego wasn't quite as lucky, the blast hit him and tossed him through the air as if his own brother had thrown him. "Shit -  _Five!_ " all Diego could see was the ground appearing from where he'd been tossed off of the roof, high enough to turn his body into crumbs. "Five!" Luther jumped up, eyes wide as he watched Diego fall. 

When Diego was coming to his body felt battered and bruised and he was staring up into the clouds. Luther was leaned over him with wide eyes and yanked him hard, Diego groaned as his back hit the floor and when he turned his head he could see Allison on the ground. "What happened?" Diego asked,

"She softened your fall, I think she'll be okay but she's out - head's bleeding," Luther cupped Allison's head, and Diego couldn't believe she'd ran and  _caught him_ , allowed him to hit her full-blown in the chest, it made his lungs feel tight and throat itch. "Five's also out. When he teleported and hit the ground he must have passed out from pain or maybe he was drained, I don't know,"

"Fuck, I can't believe we're alive," Diego breathed,

"how many died though," Luther muttered, "most of the hospitals are too far away or burned down. We need to get them to Mom. Are you good?" 

"Nothing but cuts, bruises and a few burns. You have 3-degree burns on your neck, and I'm sure a fuck load of other injuries," Luther shrugged and Diego shook his head, "You get Five. I've got Allison," and when Luther opened his mouth Diego slapped him around the head, "now One. Go get Five," 

"Don't know where you get off ordering me," Luther said, but he stood anyway and Diego looked away, so he didn't have to stare at Luther climbing. He focused on checking Allison's head, sometimes it still took him by shock, how strong and brave and ruthless his family could be. How Vanya could destroy the world, Five could fight a thousand battles at once, that Allison could fearlessly run to catch him. All his siblings just as ruthless, just as brave, and just as powerful.

Diego wasn't sure if they should all be number seven or all be number one. 


	11. The Seance’s Energy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five picks up his sister, and Klaus is beginning to feel odd

**Number Five**

Five had counted exactly fourteen phone calls, six to Allison, four to Diego, two to Luther and two to himself. Five picked up the next time the phone rang, purely because he’d  grown annoyed with hearing every different high pitched squeal for attention. “What?” 

“ _Finally_ ,” Vanya said, “ _I’ve been calling everyone. I thought you’d all...”_

 _”_ Simply bruised and battered,” Five, for example, as sitting on a chair, holding a bag of frozen peas to his head with one arm, and the other slung up in a sling. “Well, Luther is badly burned, my shoulder is dislocated, Allison has a concussion and stitches...”

” _listen, Five. Those two that tried to hurt you, they’re after Klaus,”_ Five sighed to himself, massaging his head, _“we can’t really move him anywhere, should we just stay here or do we attempt to get to the academy?”_

“You two will do nothing,” Five drained the remainder of his coffee in one long gulp that warmed his stomach, “I will come get you, and you will explain why Klaus has somehow disrupted the natural order of things. Though I am not surprised, the only reason he got away with last time was because everyone he saved ended up dying shortly after, just as planned,”

” _Look, we’re um...we’re in a bomb shelter like in the middle of nowhere. A few miles away from the hospital?”_

 _”_ Yes. I know the shelter, a simple plan C for if the apocalypse was to still follow through. Though I haven’t used it Much,” without giving Vanya another moment he hung up and tucked his phone away.

”Oh no, Mister,” Grace said, she was staring down at him, one thing Reginald had to program into Grace was that she could be a little more stern when the occasion rose. Like sternly telling someone to eat if they skipped dinner. “You have a sore arm,” 

“I am aware,” Five said. “However I have yet another mess to clean up caused by my siblings, how surprising,” Grace tutted and Five leaned his head back, 

“You can’t sweety. You are far too tired,” he knew Diego would probably kick up a storm later about disobedience and ignoring their _mother_ but Five didn’t care much, he’d play that stare-down game they always played when they disagreed on something.

Five was approaching the shelter quicker than travelling sound.

He crossed the street and stood outside, instead of knocking however, he blinked past the door and earned a gun shoved right into his bad shoulder. He believed this was called _karma_. “Stop! That’s my brother, Jesus Five,” Vanya held her chest, “you look awful,”

”Yes, Well, hanging off a building and holding onto someone’s arm so you don’t fall is not all it Is chalked up to be in the movies,” He’s pointed out, rubbing his bad shoulder. “Whose the Terminator?”

”This is Dave. Klaus’s fault,” Vanya said, “Klaus is unconscious,”

”Have you tried the old freezing cold water over the head?” Five approached the mattress, shaking his head. “Well, He’s not drunk. Probably on something though,”

”Apparently not,” Vanya replied, “that’s why people are after him. Maybe sober is the worst thing for him, because his ability went haywire and now he won’t wake up,”

”Well, you were similar after the performance. Took you a day to gather strength, his body is a lot weaker. He’s dead to the world for quite sometime... enjoy the silence,” Five stood back up and turned to the two in front of him, “if I try to take him without supporting him fully he’ll hit the ground. I need someone to come with me first, then catch him,”

”You have your violin. I’ll do it,” Dave said, and before he could brace himself he was gone. Five was travelling through the light and it was always so fast for passangers, but so slow for him. He could paint a thousand pictures of the light before hitting the other side. Dave didn’t see it quite as nice, he was going to vomit. 

“Deep breaths. You have five seconds to catch him,” the whole process of catching was pretty sloppy, Klaus was too heavy for Five to keep ahold of when they dropped back into the academy, and Dave almost broke his back trying to catch him. “Sloppy, but avoided all disasters,” Five said, “Right-“ Dave jumped when Five appeared again and walked right past him, “Family meeting!” He called out.

”Five, you could have hurt yourself further,” Grace said, “You will have to listen to the medical advice given, and avoid using your powers and that arm, or I will have to take away the coffee, dear,”

”I have no intentions of using the arm,” Five confirmed, “could you gather anyone still actually conscious to the living room for an emergency meeting?”

”Of course,” Grace smiled. 

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

They were on their third round of slappy-cake and Ben had much better reflexes, “I’m not totally dead you know,” Klaus complained, rubbing his cheek. “This is almost as bad as prison. If I kick the bucket for real one day, I’m haunting someone. I’m never moving on,”

”A peaceful place just isn’t your style,” Ben pointed out, “quiet, outdoors, smells good,”

”all things I hate,” Klaus agreed, “I’m starting to feel more... me,” he breathed in and collapsed back into the grass, “so...last you checked in they got the guy that killed you... feel better?”

”I think revenge works for you and Diego, I feel worse,” Ben said, “didn’t hurt enough,”

”So, dear brother, you’re saying not enough revenge actually,” Klaus pointed out, “imagine just killing someone and bringing them back, what they going to do? Tell people you killed them? It’s the perfect revenge sandwich,” Klaus pretended like he was biting into a sandwich, moaning and rubbing his stomach. “I wonder if I can bring back like _anybody_ ,”

”You’re not disrupting the natural order by bringing back Freddy Mercury,” Ben said, and Klaus sighed. “You don’t want people finding this out, Klaus. In the wrong hands it could be really bad,” 

“My lips are sealed, the gate to the underworld is sealed. It _sucks_ not being a disappointment, I’m getting withdrawal from people relying on me, and the last thing I need is people trying to find me because I’m somehow the new team medic,”

”I think they’d hate you if you didn’t act like yourself at least a little bit,” Ben snorted, “they’re too use to their life being made weird and difficult by you,” and Klaus laughed, “Think we’ve been here a few days,”

”I thought it was like three weeks, but my time management sucks,” Klaus grinned, “ugh, can you feel pain when you’re dead but like not fully dead?”

”I’ve never been sort of dead not really dead,” Ben deadpanned, “pain?”

”My chest is killing me,” Klaus rubbed over his collarbone, and shut his eyes, “What the hell is happening back on planet Earth and whose fucking with my body?” Ben stood up and Klaus groaned, “You’re leaving now? I’m dying,”

”You’re not dying. But I’ll check on you,” Ben rolled his eyes, cracked his neck and in a way that reminded him of Five, he disappeared. Though it was a lot less dramatic, less loud popping lights and more of a fade. Klaus waited for Ben to come back, head between his knees and hands massaging over his chest.

And then the pain that shot through his body was almost unbearable. He could almost compare it to the many times they’d zapped his heart back into a working state in an ambulance. He found himself sitting up and trying to breathe and failing miserably, he wheezed and choked and dug his fingernails into whatever he wasn’t laying on.

”Just breathe, sweetheart. It’s okay,” a warm hand hit his cold foreheads, rubbing softly and he leaned into it, “I administered a little medicine in hopes of speeding your recovery, and waking you up. Similar to an adrenaline shot,” 

“Am I awake or dead?” Klaus rasped, “I can’t see,” Grace pulled Klaus’s head into her stomach and he flopped against her, feeling more tired than he ever had in his entire life. 

“Your vision will return, you are just in need of sleep. I have banned the others from entering the infirmary unless treatment is required, so that you may recuperate in peace,” Grace reassured, “let me help you lie down,” She grasped Klaus’s shoulders, laying him off and letting him fall back and back until his head hit a soft pillow and he went pliant.

” _Leave the lights on,_ ” Klaus mumbled into the pillow,

”Of course, dear.” 


	12. The Dead Dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luther thinks back to an argument about their sister, and Klaus is beginning to feel better.

**Number One / Luther**

”So how do we get rid of Cha-Cha and Hazel permanently?” Diego demanded, “they’re threatening my family again and that’s not going to stand right with me,”

”Hazel took care of it last time. Decided to resign. Though there will always be another Hazel and Cha-Cha. I may be able to strike a deal however...” Five trailed off, 

"Five, you hate working for them," Luther said, but Five must have exhausted his options because he flicked his wrist and walked past Luther, bumping his side. "What happens now then? the world is saved, what becomes of us when we fix  _all_ of our problems? Vanya, you have your music, Diego crime fights alone, Allison... "Luther trailed off, "you have your acting. Klaus has... his...  _Dave_ ," The man who was sat on their couch, head in his hand and starting to doze off. "Do we just part ways like before?"

"We've never been good at anything else," Diego pointed out, "working as a team that is less of a team and more of several minions behind number one. Being expected to save people rather than actually wanting to. Guess we'll all decide on our own time whether we're leaving," it was clear no one was quite ready to leave, with some fear that Vanya may lose control again despite the gentle training, and the unknown territory that was Klaus. Luther stared at the hospital infirmary door, as he sat down, rubbing the bandages wrapped around his neck.

 

_The second timeline_

_"I told you!" Luther yelled, "I told you she was dangerous and we had to lock her up and what? Five talks us into it with some magical time travel and suddenly she's the golden child?" Luther stepped forward and Diego held out his arm to block him. "First Allison and now this? what happens if one of us makes her angry again or upset. Or she's scared or having a nightmare and she kills us all!"_

_"Luther, stop!" Allison demanded, "she's our sister,"_

_"She just killed our father!" Luther exclaimed, "am I the only one thinking rationally?"_

_"Oh save it," Klaus waved his hand, "dear old dad was asking for it. Back barely a week and he already goes behind our backs and sneaks around, and what? tried to wind and anger Vanya on purpose to make a stupid point, deliberately made our lives ten times worse so that we'd realize she was dangerous and kill her?"_

_"Look, Dad wasn't right about a lot of things but I think he's right about this. We tried it guys, we really did, and her emotional issues are putting us in danger-"_

_"I didn't mean to-" Vanya gasped,_

_"Exactly!" Luther yelled,_

_"Dad deserved it. Fuck, I would have loved to have been Vanya at that moment. I'm never going to contact him ever, he's going to rot in hell with the scum, and it is an honour to be killed by Vanya. Because he deserved so much worse because he was an absolute-" Klaus burst out laughing, stumbling back as fire shot through his cheek, Diego leapt forward and yanked Luther back, and Klaus rubbed where Luther had struck him. "Oh, this is precious. Still, daddy's boy even when he turns you into a monster and catapults you to the moon because he fucked up,"_

_"Shut up, Klaus!" Luther tried to step forward and Diego shoved at him again, "you never know when to stop, do you? he was still our dad and now he's dead. Murder, you know what that word means don't you Diego, considering you went to the Police academy. So he said some bad things to her and riled her up, murder is a bit of an exaggeration. He raised us-"_

_"Nopeee, no he didn't," Klaus grinned, "no, I believe that was Mom," he added on, "and Pogo. But mostly Mom, who he specifically built all motherly to shut us up and wipe away our tears, sing nursy rhymes, so that way we don't go throwing ourselves out of windows after a hard training day. You know, after the relentless emotional abuse. Yay!" he clapped his hands and Luther stepped back, shaking his head._

_"We're badly adults who have never had to train someone before. We're not equipped to stop her from hurting more and more people. Even as a child she was a killer, we can't do this we're going to fuck everything up again and we might never come back this time,"_

_"Well... least we can say we gave it a good old try," Klaus pressed a hand to his chest, "I for one, am extremely excited to die for good this time. And I don't get sent straight to hell for murdering my sister, I at least get a shot at purgatory, so..."_

_"Eye for an eye and the world goes blind," Vanya whispered, "killing me will make you into a hollow, poisonous person," she said. "If you don't believe in me, how do I believe in myself, and then how do we stop this and control my powers? if no one even thinks I'm strong enough to do it?" she couldn't help but cast a look at Klaus, Luther had to wonder if Vanya saw the comparisons in him._

_"I wanted to see if we could have changed him," Luther said, "changed dad,"_

_"he tortured the crap out of her," Klaus gestured to Vanya, "and us. The fact that he lived for a week is absolutely amazing,"_

_"He's right, Luther," Allison said, "just look around the room at us, look at what he's done. Vanya was just protecting herself, he began his emotional abuse again and she lashed out, as many victims do. She doesn't deserve to die for that," Luther looked at Vanya, who stared back with shining eyes, and a glint of hope. And then he stared at Klaus, who was already breaking out in a huge purple bruise._

_"You think we can control this?" Luther asked, and they all nodded. Five was surprisingly silent, eyes focused on an empty wipe board, "do you... think we could dampen down the effects of the pills, so it takes some of the power away?"_

_"Perhaps," Five spoke up, "we may be able to create the perfect chemical balance. I assume it would be extremely useful for you as well, Klaus. Though you will lose all perks of your ability you gain through being clean," Klaus seemed pretty eager about the drug trial and they stood outside their home, staring up at it and waiting for Pogo to clean up the mess Vanya had made._

_"I'm sorry," Luther murmured to her, Vanya smiled back and shook her head, "I don't want to be the leader, I'm not a good leader,"_

_"Maybe not. But you can learn better," Vanya shrugged, "you should probably apologize to Klaus before he takes his grudge to the grave,"_

 

Luther blinked himself out of the memory, still sat on the couch, the room had dispersed and his siblings all going about their day. It was him and the now sleeping Dave. Sometimes it suffocated Luther how important he wanted to feel, how badly he wanted his sibling's lives to feel fulfilled, he wanted everyone safe and happy and he'd never get his own way. There would always be some sort of lingering danger or fight, siblings fought but damaged siblings caused wars. And it always seemed to be Luther starting them.

Luther almost hated the person he used to be who had been shaped and created by Reginald Hargreeves. He heard a small creak, and then from down the hallway he could hear the soft lull of a violin and he leaned his head back, closing his eyes and smiling. Though still unstable Vanya  _could_ be saved - she had to be. Luther didn't want to lose anyone else.

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

_2 days later_ **  
**

"Christ on a cracker!" Klaus yelled, he gripped his chest, shuffling back on the bed until his back hit the wall. He had a needle in one arm and felt like a dead body but it didn't compare to seeing his father staring down at him, " _you_ can go away," he flicked his hands, "shoo! shoo!" 

"You know what is holding you back, Klaus. Stupidity, emotions,  _weakness and fear_ , as it always has. Determination is your greatest strength and yet you rarely use it," Reginald said, "the dead scare you, so you get scared, so you let off your ability, and then you end up in comas,"

"Oh, and whose fault is that?!" Klaus pointed at him, "you know I was like a tiny bit scared before you stuck your nose in," he shook his head, " _you did this to me,_ "

"Still taking no responsibility, Number four. I regret that you reacted in such an unexpected fashion to my training and it caused long-lasting distress to your psyche. But the time has come to embrace it,"

"The second I get out of here," Klaus leaned forward and smiled, "I'm getting absolutely smashed out of my mind. No drugs, I won't cross that line just yet until I get Ben back at least. But alcohol washes out of the system in 24 hours," he said, "and you're a corpse. Ash, really, so you can't stop me," 

"Still wasting so much potential, when you could be doing so much good,"

"I think I deserve the right to pick whether I want to do good with it, and hm... talking to the dead for a living? I'll pass," he snorted, "I'm going to stick around for a while, and then I'm going off with Dave somewhere, I'm retiring early,"

"Hm,  _Dave_ ," Reginald said, "a normal man. Whose never experienced people with abilities before or addicts. Who has no idea how to deal with damaged people, no idea how to tackle you?" Klaus shook his head and sat back, "How is that different from your birth family? see normal people don't get it, people like _Leonard_  and Patrick and  _Detective Patch_ ,"

"Well, Dave is kinda cool," Ben cut in, "probably the only partner I've liked, the rest were okay, aside from Leonard who was-"

"Kuckoo Kuckoo!" Klaus yelled, twirling his finger beside his head, "Now, great to see you Dad, sorry your own abuse eventually got you killed and all, but I have some Abba to blast and some alcohol to steal from your rare and expensive collection, Ciao _Vater_ ," he grasped at the needle and Ben winced as he slipped it out and tossed it aside, "it's time to dance and celebrate not only escaping from purgatory once again, but also surviving and gaining back my sight,"

"And no one's home," Ben added on, he had that rare mischevious look Klaus remembered seeing more frequently on Ben when he was alive, it made him bounce off of the bed and hold out his hands, Ben leaned forward and slipped through the air, 

"We'll get to do that majestic dirty dancing spin one day, my dear brother," Klaus slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him and scanning the area until his eyes landed on the record player, and he turned it full volume.


	13. The Argumentative Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus and his father argue.

**Number Four / Klaus**

Dear old Dad was trying to convince Klaus to stop the spectacle he was putting on - so Klaus tried twice as hard, he twirled himself in the long silk curtains hung on the front room windows, he threw his arms out, sung loudly and laughed every time he spilt any liquid from the bottle he had clutched in his left hand. Ben didn't agree with Klaus trying to get drunk after only having just woken up, but he did agree with Klaus doing it to anger Reginald or to just shut him up altogether.

"Do you ever wonder if your acting out is hereditary?" Reginald asked Klaus, who put down the alcohol so he could plug his ears, he sang louder and louder, spinning in circles until he felt dizzy, "you've been doing it as long as Number Two. Both insolent and immature, only Two having an attitude problem and yours being-"

" _Oh my god!_ " Klaus exclaimed, "I actually get the immaturity, inability to shut up and stop, argumentativeness and the attitude from  _you_ ," he drawled, "it has nothing to do with birth who and what now, kids are products of their environments or something,"

"I am not unstable," Reginald said,

"Keep telling yourself that, Old-man," Klaus grinned, he swiped up the whisky again and held it up, " _Ich saufe darum bin ich! ..._ I drink, therefore I am!" he cheered, 

"Just... take it easy, Klaus, you only just woke up," Ben said, "you could have done with a few more days dead to the world," Klaus drained the last of the bottle and placed it onto the table, "You're making things so much worse, Dad..." he mumbled,

"I am trying to make Four see sense about drinking away his gift, and acting like an idiot right after waking up," Reginald was holding his pocket watch, staring at the hands as they ticked by, 

"I know... it's just-" Ben paused and shook his head, 

"Don't talk to Ben!" Klaus threw his hands up, "what was it you wrote in your little notes? how he was  _so Manipulatable_. I'm going to put these to good use and send you away - and I won't come to get _you!_ "

"You can't. You've drunk alcohol. And If your siblings needed your immediate help you would be no good to them, therefore your foolish behaviour, drug taking and drinking could possibly get someone killed. Selfish, selfish and disappointing behaviour to choose to drink away your gift rather than use it for good. But you've always been selfish," Klaus laughed, throwing his head back and stumbling back, "How many times has someone relied on you in a mission and you've failed because of lack of concentration and drugs-" Klaus gripped the empty bottle, and with a yell he threw it at the ghost of his father.

It went straight through him and exploded as it connected to the wall. "Ugh... _I hate you so much!_ " he groaned, "you had to be the one to take us that is just brilliant," he snorted, "of all people it's  _you_. Abusive, strict, unempathetic, unrealistic, egotistical maniac with a kink for kicking people when they're already down!" he pointed at him, it brought him right back to the day of the funeral, _stubborn_ bastard Klaus recalled calling him. 

"The only blame I take is not being harder on you, for being too soft has left you selfish, weak, idiotic, flippant, lacking true morals and ability to even _be_ good. The only child who I would argue was more of a villain than a hero,"  _well, that hurt,_ Klaus thought to himself, he blinked and turned around, heading right back to the liquor cabinet.

"That's not true, Klaus has... helped lots of people. Diego, Luther, Vanya, Dave - he fought in the front lines-"

"Not for honour or to protect his country but because he had a stupid crush, yet another selfish reason to fight in a war he didn't belong in," Reginald argued, and Ben dropped his head. 

"It's fine Ben," Klaus said, "leave the old man to brood, alone,  _always_ alone and hated with no one to think about him ever or to grieve him. Allow his eternity in the cold," he yanked another bottle out and locked his teeth onto the lid, pulling and pulling until it came off, pinging against his teeth painfully. "Just when I think we're getting on the same page he comes back around wagging his finger, with his creepy eyes talking about stuff nobody gives a shit about,"

"Am I wrong? do you not drink away your gift and take drugs, and do you not  _steal_ from places of business, from people who help you, from me and your siblings. Have you not stolen from a large number of people, promised you'd stop the drugs and then gone behind others backs, did you not keep it a secret that you could see Six, because not even your own siblings would ever believe you could be sober enough to see him?" Reginald shook his head, "then you screw up every mission you go on, the lookout who can't even be a lookout, the one with the inability to  _ever_ be serious even in a very serious situation - like I said, lack of empathy. And you wonder why your siblings do not notice you missing,"

"Okay, okay, got it!" Klaus yelled, "total disappointment, at least I'm not as hated as you are, thank god," he took a large swig of the bottle and Ben stared between them, looking both awkward and worried. "Talk about lack of fucking empathy,"

"I am not the one with the ability here. One thing Two has over you is that he has dedicated his life to helping people, and protecting them. Making the streets safe to once again walk, as well as One. It is not just you I believe to be selfish, but I have always known Three as a selfish narcissistic girl. I was not surprised to see her use her gift for her own gains and not to help the world, just as you. Four... Three... Seven, my biggest failures and disappointments,"

"Well, Vanya couldn't exactly help anybody daddy dearest, since she didn't know there was anything there, you know, how you dampened her abilities and taught us to treat her oh-so-terribly, thus causing her to blow up the moon? great job you did there, truly amazing parenting skills. Now, enlighten me as to why you're standing there in all of your dead glory giving  _me_ a hard time when I'm clearly not interested?"

"I still have a very stupid hope that you might stop," Reginald sighed, "I want what is best for the world and you could have been one of those things, very unfortunate,"

"I still think _I_ should be allowed to choose what  _I_ want to do with  _my life_ ," Klaus spat, "just leave me alone, you're giving me a headache," but Reginald just sat there, shaking his head and actually having the cheek to look  _truly disappointed_ , like Klaus had broken an important promise, Reginald sat there like he was  _upset or heartbroken_ , and it sent Klaus into a frenzy. "Fuck this," he started to drain the bottle and Ben winced. "Sorry, Ben,"

"Klaus?" Ben frowned,

"I'll get clean again, but right now he needs to go away," Klaus covered his ears and closed his eyes, so he could walk past Reginald without staring into his eyes, "I swear I will find a way to bring you back but right now he needs to disappear before I actually go _nuts_ , like, arrested for public disturbance kind of nuts,"

"You're stronger than this, I'm saying this for you, never me. You've been clean for so long, and yeah the new powers suck but-"

"Sometimes it gets so bad I can smell dead bodies and flies hit me in the face. I have the old man talking shit in one ear, some previous servant talking bed sheets in the other, I can hear some guy playing the fucking harmonica, and I can taste pasta and I haven't had that in like fifteen years," he ranted, "the more he opens his mouth the more dead that come, the sicker and weaker I feel, and _I'm going to go off_ ,"

"Just breathe Klaus," Ben said, "don't let him control you again, prove him wrong," Klaus fisted his hands into his hair, bending over, and he jumped when he felt air brushing against his skin, Ben stared down at his hands and Klaus frowned, "I think... I think you should be able to choose what  _you_ want to use your abilities for. If doing what Diego and Luther do just isn't for you, it isn't. He can't make you feel a way you don't feel," the scariest part was Klaus actually agreed with some of those statements Reginald said. He certainly stole, he was certainly selfish, he'd never fought on the frontline to protect anybody but Dave, he didn't want to use his powers to help those struggling with loss.

He asked the question of how much of a good person was he  _truly_ , and how  _good_ did he actually  _want_  to be? and how could Klaus improve and change without completely changing himself and everything he enjoyed and stood for? deep down he knew he loved the feeling of being useful, how'd he had conjured Ben during the fight against Vanya, how he felt special and worthy. But the dead kept roaring in his ears and Klaus would never be able to be okay with them.

He would always go back to that dark room Reginald locked him in to conquer the fear of the dead. He was always going to be sitting in a corner, feeling like he was back in prison or rehab. Ben reached out again and Klaus jolted from his thoughts at the feeling of cold on his skin, it was like a gentle breeze hitting him, and he let Ben wrap him a cold hug. "Whoever said you  _had_ to be Mother Theresa anyway?" Ben questioned. "So you don't use it for good, you don't use it for evil either,"

"Fair point, Benny," he snorted into his shoulder, "I don't think I'm a good person, but at least  _I'm_ not Reginald Hargreeves," 

 

And suffice to say nobody was exactly impressed to find the house in disarray and broken glass all over the floor when they returned. "What the hell happened in here, and why are you out of bed?" Diego asked,

"Got bored, picked a fight with a ghost. Where's Dave?" it felt like a lifetime ago that he last saw Dave. 

"he and Five are off getting some fake documents, to make him a real person in the eyes of the law again," Luther said, "really, you've been drinking? how do we bring Ben back if you start taking again?"

"I had like a bottle and a half," Klaus replied, "it's not like I turned into a walking syringe. A bottle and a half are a miracle considering my first day awake has been...  _oh so lovely and relaxing, and stress-free!_ " 

"Klaus... no more secrets remember?" damn, Klaus was such a sucker for Vanya's big puppy eyes, 

"Oh, nothing to worry about dear sister, just Dad appearing out of nowhere, refusing to leave, saying some extremely terrible things about me - one of which is that I'm the bad guy of the story and the villain, so feast your eyes upon your evil brother - Klaus! and I can't even get high or take any of your pills because then I won't be able to bring Ben back to life, so please feel free to distract me,"

"Diego and Patch slept together," Allison blurted out, Klaus's jaw dropped and a grin burst across his cheeks, "yeah a total spur of the moment - _we haven't done this in years and we broke up for a reason_ kink-of-sex. And I went over to her house to pick Diego up and-"

"Okay okay-!" Diego clamped a hand over Allison's mouth and she fought back against him, moving her head side to side, "it wasn't anything, like, nothing really happened," 

"Nothing happened? he was the shade of tomato and his hair looked like a pineapple," Vanya smiled, "and aren't you wearing her socks?"

"Well I gotta say, she has brownie points in my book for rescuing me _and_ dying for me," Klaus pressed his hands to his chest and flopped against Ben, "defiling my big brother once again, who would have thought. Well, I will tell you right now mister I am not ready to be an uncle,"

"I have a daughter, Klaus," Allison said,

"I don't see her that often and when I do Patrick will not let me have anything to do with her hair, clothes, attitude, tell her stories, or talk about ghosts, even though that little girl is the one with the morbid curiosity for the dead, and the desire to probably one day become a Mortician," Klaus ranted, "You tell P  _by the way_ , that the next door neighbour he had a feud with as a teenager, has been following him around laughing whenever his life goes wrong, and tell him Klaus won't say how to get rid of her,"

"Can you even get rid of her?" Diego asked,

"How am I supposed to know?" Klaus snorted, "so, what exactly is the next step to preventing the apocalypse which could very well be a team effort of me and Vanya," he winked at his sister, "since we keep blowing things up,"

"I think whenever we can figure out how to control one of you, we'll just use the same methods on the other one. You still have to tell us the details on that, by the way, all I know is that you brought Dave back from the dead," Diego said.

"And it begins..." Klaus trailed off, "similar to Vanya I seem to be  _going off_ , causing massive amounts of energy blasts that attract all of the dead to me, they can touch and harm me, I also banished a lot of them to the otherside and I had to go to the otherside and release Ben which was kinda an accident, but a fun trip. So I can travel between the living world and the dead, I've died like five times but God keeps sending me back down because we don't get on, but apparently, I'm not quite bad enough for hell, so she's biding her time. I can bring people back from the dead, so really I'm having the worst couple weeks,"

"It's not that different from Vanya," Allison said, "do you think there's a reason for that? is it possible we can all do that?"

"What, expand our powers?" Luther frowned, "Klaus how did you do this?"

"Dave died, I freaked out," Klaus shrugged, "same with Vanya, she freaked. I want to start a bet right now of whose power goes haywire next, I'm betting Five,"

"Five's already gone kind of haywire," Diego said, "it'll clearly be me," 

"So... we have to prevent each other from what? freaking out?" Vanya asked, "that's going to be impossible, something always happens to us," and none of the siblings could really disagree, "we need to try to see if we can formulate a pill that can dampen our abilities but not remove them, maybe Pogo has an idea he did look over Dad's shoulder most of his life,"

"So that's the next order of business? make drugs?" Diego looked around at his family and nodded, "and then we test them?" 

"I will be the lab rat!" Klaus raised his hand,  _of course, you will_ , Diego mumbled back, " _Yeah bitch, yeah science_ ," he grinned.


	14. The Family Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison thinks about her relationship status, and the siblings have a night out.

**Number Three / Allison**

Klaus must have been talking to Ben, he was trapped in an animated conversation with the empty space beside him, throwing his hands up and sometimes she saw him shove at the air, and the air seemed to trap his hands, other times they went straight through. She took the time to drink a sparkling water and think about what Vanya’s had told her, about not using her abilities for a little while.

See how much she could get fair and square, how much she could work hard for. After all, it was the rumour that had caused the issues with Patrick and Claire. She watched from the bar as the front door opened, Five was already in the room, clicking the kettle on and filling his cup with coffee.

She found herself longing for the kind of love Klaus and Dave clearly had, for their reunion was quite sweet. Dave looked taken back to see Klaus awake, and Klaus leapt up and threw an arm around his shoulders, grinning cheekily. And Diego, he and Patch seemed to be fixing whatever went wrong for them.

Only difference, Patrick had never actually loved Allison. And Allison had felt so close to Luther growing up that she had to wonder if her ability was drawing him in as well. First thing she had to do was mend things with Patrick for the sake of Claire, And then she had to see how many friends she could make without her ability. “Oh! Hey, Vanya-“

”Nice isn’t it,” Vanya said, “Don’t think I’ve ever seen him happy before,” she watched Klaus running circles around Diego, some sort of competition or bet to see if Klaus could get around him, Dave was watching more open than Allison had ever seen someone before. 

“I think we should all go out,” Allison said, “We’ve all been so stressed about you... and Klaus... and everything, I think we could benefit from going somewhere, dancing, drinking, maybe moving on in our love lives,”

”How do I move on, when I don’t know who is going to use me again,” Vanya shook her Head, “but I’ll come out. Won’t Five be kind of stuck though?”

”Its not Five’s kind of scene anyway. I’m sure he’ll burst with excitement when we all go. I’m thinking tonight’s, so I’m going to break up this fight,” As Allison walked away Vanya took out her pills And bit one in half, not quite as potent but it would do the trick, she didn’t know if it was just her but everything was so loud today.

”Come on, brawl! Brawl! Brawl!” Klaus chanted the closer Allison walked to him, she shoved her palm into his forehead and he stumbled back,

”Right,” she said, “where’s Luther?” Everyone looked at each other And she sighed, “I think we should all go clubbing together. Relax a little, drink and dance,” Klaus whooped and clapped his hands enthusiastically.

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

It couldn’t possibly go as bad as Luther’s first time in a club. Now Luther was slightly less broken up and unstable, he drank much slower and kept more to himself. Klaus made a note to buy him something much stronger. “Remember last time we were in a club?” Dave asked,

”How could I not?” Klaus threw his arms up and grinned, “We’d been serving together... what, eight months going on nine? You were dancing with that girl with the naval piercing,”

”And you were dancing alone so you could do your weird moves, and not knock your partner out,” Dave snorted, “I remember how weird it was that I had to teach you how to dance, guess it makes sense now you not living in the 60s for very long,”

”I was still in the era of violently nodding your head and running in circles,” Klaus pointed out, “what did you say again that made me cry tears of laughter?”

”I have no idea,” Dave admitted, “we were in the corner-“

“I’m sure it was about-“

”Good old Philly,” they both said, laughing to themselves, Klaus drained his glass and held out his hands, “I never even told my siblings that you flirted first,” 

”You have that effect, sure it’s not an ability?” And they began to dance again, Back to back and Klaus mixing 60s with his usual crazy style, and trying to teach Dave. “So you shake your head, why?”

”Just enjoy it!” Klaus grabbed his hands and spun him, “come on Ben, stop creeping around, I’m sure if I focus hard enough I could add you to the spin circle,” he let go of one of Dave’s hands and grinned when he didn’t slip through the air, when he was able to grab at Ben’s hand and they turned. “How likely is it that I’ll be able to set up the three singles?”

”Very,” Dave said, Klaus grinned and stopped their spinning, “I think I want to encourage your sister,” Klaus looked where Dave was, at Vanya who stood off to the side, sipping at her drink,

”Vanya,” Klaus pointed out, “I think I might have a smoke, but you should force her to dance,” Dave nodded and pulled Klaus into him, brushing his lips on Klaus’s jaw. 

“It’s freezing,” Klaus would never admit to jumped nearly a mile into the air, heart skyrocketing at the voice from beside him. He was standing in the freezing cold, smoking under a dark sky. “Hiding?”

”Smoking,” Klaus corrected, the man shuffled out of the dark doorway and sat beside him, 

“ever feel like you’re going insane?”

”Thats my middle name,” Klaus joked, the man was fiddling with his hands, head ducked and leg bouncing, “welcome to team crazy,” and the man huffed out a laugh,

”Thanks I guess,” he said, “aren’t you apart of that Umbrella thing?” And Klaus sighed and nodded, “I just released from Shinyview, I’m guessing you’ve been? People say you’re unhinged,”

”And you are upfront,” Klaus said, “but not wrong. I checked myself into Shinyview,” It was after a few public breakdowns and a suicide attempt or two cloaked as OD’s. “Have we met?” He just couldn’t shake the feeling that he recognised the face, just a little bit.

”I don’t know, I don’t think so you wouldn’t remember anyway if we did, haha. But I’m Leonard,” _oh,_ Klaus felt his face go blank and turned back to his cigarette,

”One Of the reasons I checked myself into Shinyview was because the man who ran the Umbrella Academy, Reginald Hargreeves, experimented on me and i wanted to end my own life,” Klaus smiled, “so don’t be so jealous you never got in, or never got to appear as special. My own personal hell looks like the academy, coming from someone who was on the front line in Vietnam, now Danke for the lovely chat,” he tossed his cigarette down And stomped on it when he stood up, grinding it into the concrete with his boot.

He walked away from Leonard, shaking his head and wondering if Vanya had changed everything, if her book left her looking less vulnerable, “Hey, where you been? - doesn’t matter, come look!” Allison as in front of him in a second, grabbing his arms and yanking him back to the dance floor. Dave And Vanya’s had acquired quite the crowd around them, dancing crazily and she was laughing loud enough that he could just hear it under the pounding beat. “I’m kinda glad the world ended, so We got to try again,”

”Don’t let Five hear you say that ever,” Klaus said. He didn’t want to think about Leonard showing up here, how he’d  probably been following them, Klaus just wanted to forget it all, he ordered a couple shots, tossed them back and bounced his way into the middle of the dancing pile, “Is Luther wasted?” He grinned.

”Absolutely,” Vanya confirmed, though Luther wasn’t dancing, he was beside the DJ table, yelling about music and arguing with the DJ about what was good or not. “We haven’t done this... ever,” 

“This is a weekly thing now, To Reginald Hargreeves ashes!” Klaus raised his final shot and drank it back, “and to our little psycho Five,” 

They would probably all have hangovers tomorrow, and strangers in their beds, and the looming threat of Leonard following them around, and the lack of any appearance from Cha-Cha and Hazel in the past two days. But those were for sober Klaus, and he didn’t exist at the moment.


	15. The Project Birth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something unpredicted happens.

**Number Five**

”Dolores,” though Five had previously returned his world to be with her friends, he always found himself talking to her, like they could communicate no matter where they were in the world. “There was a disturbance last night, though it’s very likely it was caused by Klaus Or Vanya...” he rolled out his whiteboard And began to scribble frantically on it. “Hm... not quite the same pattern displayed whenever the energy bursts, seemingly coming from Klaus, occurred. Nor does it appear to follow Vanya’s pattern-“

”Uh, Hi, little dude. You know it’s 5am right?” Five ignored the pesky little guest in the doorway trying to draw away his attention, “Well, everybody’s in bed, except Klaus, he’s having a bath,”

”And How was the night in the club, any strange happenings?” Five questioned, “things you would call otherworldly,”

”I have no way to tell what’s otherworldly - everything is,” Dave pointed out, from woman in the army to musical devices you could carry around with you, and then seemingly a group of strange people And a time travelling briefcase,

”I had wondered when you would have that typical time-travel breakdown, when you realise this is actually happening and everything you thought you understood doesn’t exist anymore,” Five hummed, “there was evidence something strange happened last night,” he had several charts that he began to pin to the wall and Dave walked over, rubbing his eyes and his hair and yawning. 

“Like... what?” 

“Like some sort of spike of energy, not compatible with Vanya or Klaus. Therefore it wasn’t them, we could be looking at one of us,”

”There’s more of you?” Dave asked,

”We are the children Reginald Hargreeves could buy. There were many other babies born with abilities that would not allow him to buy them,” Five replied, “occasionally we have to deal with a rogue hurting people,” he turned around and flicked on the radio and TV “I want you to turn that dial for me and keep an eye...Well, an ear out, for anything,”

Somehow Dave was roped into helping Five, but he hardly minded. “So this kind of stuff interests you then?” Dave turned the dial on the radio, skipping every time he heard mundane talk. “The energy signals and devices and power in general?”

”Very much so,” Five agreed, “ever since I travelled into the future, no, ever since I discovered my powers were linked with time and space I begun to infatuate with it, the concept of time, the energy, the strange happenings. Travelling into the future was added bonus- Turn that’s up please!” Dave went to turn up the radio and Five waved his arms, “The television,” he corrected.

”What’s that mean? Something important?” Dave frowned, Five stepped close to the television, wicked smile on his face,

”Project Birth, there you are,” On the First of March Five stood in front of the television, as they announced seventeen woman had just miraculously gave birth, without being previously pregnant. “ _This_ did not happen in the original timeline,”

”Original what?” Dave asked, Five waved his hand,

”We’ve lived this life before, This Is our second go since we blew the world up,” Five couldn’t wrap his head around it, how both timelines were so similar and yet this huge expected event rocked his world. He couldn’t even begin to guess what it was that caused this change. “I have a theory, Dave,”

”Right, lay it on me,” one thing Dave had learned very quickly - mostly from the outing the two went on together earlier, was that Five liked less to talk with people and preferred talking _to_ them, he needed an ear so he could think through his thoughts out loud, organise himself. 

“How possible could it be that the reason the others and I were created was due to Mother Nature?”

”I... don’t follow,”

”Project Birth. Someone with abilities that factor around growth, or fertility. If that woman was to get pregnant-“

”It could spread like a virus?” Dave frowned, “why does that make so much sense to me, I feel like I’m missing half of my original brain, and the other half I have Is way more advanced,”

”Well, when you’re stuck with us or just Klaus for a long period of time, it has that effect. It’s been thirty years since we were all born. Either the woman is having another baby quite late, or her offspring is. Either way, I have a feeling tomorrow will be a hectic day,”

”You don’t think people will drop their babies off here... considering how famous you are. I see you on the screen and books and people approach you...”

”Yes, we are very famous. I will not promise anything, but I do hope Diego, Luther, Vanya And Klaus, And eventually Ben if Klaus manages to bring him back, are ready for children,” Five hummed, “one good thing about this body is I will not be expected to adopt any child,” 

“Body?” Dave frowned, looking at Five - head to toe, Five patted his chest and started walking away,

”I’m in my 50s!” he called over his shoulder.

 

**Number Seven / Vanya**

“Okay... one more time,” Klaus rubbed his hands violently over his eyes And gulped the last of his boiling hot Irish coffee. “So... your book...”

”Changed things,” She nodded, “because you went back and included me more in the family, I didn’t come across as vulnerable in my book,”

”I don’t get it, why me?” Klaus hummed, “must have Been a coincidence, he was obviously looking for you,” 

“Maybe,” Vanya agreed, “but you did kind of come across as vulnerable in my book. I talked about the ghosts, Ben, the drugs, nightmares, how dad specifically targeted you the worst and experimented on you... I even mentioned the mental hospital,” she winced.

”Oh I am so glad I did not read _that_ tragic story. At least I am tortured abused brother this time, rather than deadbeat junkie who steals from his own family,” Klaus paused, shook his head and got up from the table to click the kettle on. “How do we prevent him from going wacko again? And what if he pisses you off and you blow up the moon?”

”What if you blow up the moon?” Ben asked, and Klaus hissed at him,

“No one isn’t blowing up the moon!” He exclaimed to his brother. “We could take him you know, I’ll wait until he conveniently runs into one of us, and I’ll chokehold him. Ask Dave, we had to learn how to do it in’ Nam. Best three weeks of my life,” he sighed heavenly. 

“That’s it? Save Vanya, kill Leonard? Kill Dad?”

”You killed Leonard the first time around,” Klaus groaned, “and Dad started it, I have talked to him and he very much didn’t mention you killing him, but definitely mentioned my many failures. I’m so proud of myself,” he pressed his hands to his chest and poured himself another cup of coffee. “We were kind of raised to kill first, ask questions later. Unless someone gives up in the first five seconds, but then I just want to put them out of their misery,”

”Emergancy family meeting,” Before Klaus could pour milk into his coffee Five took it straight from his hands and walked away, “now!” Vanya glanced at Klaus and stood up, pancakes left half untouched, as her appetite evaporated the second she heard the name _Leonard_. What was once white rage was now a deep pang in her heart, hurt and betrayal and so much devastation that it felt like she was suffocating.

”OKAY! Me! Me! First!” Klaus raised his hands, bouncing on his tiptoes, “Leonard’s storyline has changed, he’s trying to cuddle up to me this time, not Vanya. But not to worry, Vanya and I are going to murder him, now Five?” Before anyone could object, anyone being mostly Vanya, Five was talking.

”Last night Seventeen woman gave birth, they were not previously pregnant. It may not be the first of October, but it’s still a first,” Five said, Klaus’s mouth dropped and he let out a squeaking laugh, tossing his head back and clapping his hands. Vanya couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to all of those children, to the mothers who could very well not Be ready to deal with a child.

They didn’t even get a year to come to terms with it. So she never hated her family for selling her, not for a single moment, “Be prepared to become parents,” Five warned. “I’m sure desperate parents will show up soon enough, we can only hope for five or less children,” 

“Uh, Yeah, not sure about that, Chief,” Klaus spoke up, “blowing up, ghosts beating the shit out of me, only dating Dave for almost a year, kind of not ready for a baby. What do you even do with one, do you take it for walks or what?”

”I have my music, Allison has her acting-“

”I’m taking a break from acting, anyway,” Allison said, “but I do have my own daughter to worry about,”

”Guys, if we let any fall into the system they could be used as weapons...” Vanya trailed off, “they could have weak abilities or they could blow up the moon,”

”Yeah I don’t think any of us quite know How to raise a kid. Didn’t have the best role model on the planet, but... I’m ready,” Klaus rubbed his hands together and Diego swore under his breath,

”I’m trying to make this thing with Eudora work and you want me to introduce a baby into things?”

”Yes,” Five nodded, “it is not her baby its yours, none of Her business. If I _must_ I will take one or two, depending on how chaotic the house becomes,” 

“We can’t take children in with the intention to not care about them, and just keep them to avoid danger,” Vanya argued, “That’s How we happened in the first place, I don’t want a repeat of the past... again. Think about the worst moments of your life, do you want anyone else To experience that? If we get stuck with children, we have to be all in,”

”I have always wanted a daughter,” Klaus drawled, “though this Is a little on the spot, I have no baby things and the only name popping up in my head is Ben because he’s in my ear whining, and i don’t quite think it fits a girl- Okay!” He exclaimed over his shoulder, “I was going to name one Ben anyway, so shut your pie hole,” 

“Klaus, we, _you_ of all people have to be really serious about this,” Vanya and Klaus were standing alone, Klaus had wiped out Five’s words on the board and was writing potentional baby names. “Did you even talk to Dave?”

”I think he’s Just in shock that we can raise a kid together in this day and age, so he’s preoccupied, which is perfect for me. I’m getting very into this. See? Baby names - Ben, Dolores... for our little psycho Five, Christine because you’re a nerd, Reginald - because Luther likes to kiss ass, Grace for Mommy’s boy Diego, Dave Junior Of course,”

”Klaus... this is going to be the most difficult mission we’ve ever faced, and I’m so scared,” 

“It’s fine, We probably won’t even end up with any babies,” 


	16. The Seventeen Powered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children are discussed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Birthday To Me 😘

**Number Four / Klaus**

”I just love bonding time with the fam,” 

“Shut up, Klaus!” Diego was getting redder and redder by the minute, and Klaus expected steam to come out of his ears. “I don’t have time for kids,”

”We all have to do it. Stop whining,” Five ordered, “now put your hand in the hat,” and when Diego went to argue Five hissed at him, “ _put your hand in the hat!”_

 _“Okay!”_ He snapped back, he shoved his hand into the hat and drew it out, unfolding the piece of paper, “Boy in purple,” the entire family looked over to the corner, where bassinets lay and Diego went over, and picked up the chubby boy in purple. “This is such bullshit,”

”Stop complaining,” Five said again, “Allison, you’re next,” they were going in order of Number and somehow Klaus was pretty excited for his turn. Luther just looked uncomfortable holding the little boy and Diego was mega pissed. 

“Oh good... she said if I have to pick a child and give her a sibling, at least make it a girl,” Allison breathed out, lowering the piece of paper “Kl-“ Klaus was racing over, hands digging into the hat.

”Yes!” He cheered, throwing his hands up, 

“Why the fuck are you excited over getting the twins?” Diego sneered, “this is probably the worst day of my life,”

”Damn low blow,” Ben commented, “fuck me am I right?” And Klaus snorted loudly, “couldn’t Mom just look after the babies?”

”Well, Yeah, but Five’s probably trying to make us all mature quicker and feel a sense of responsibility for something bigger than ourselves, or our jobs and abilities,” Klaus said, “I don’t doubt she’ll help with any kid we can’t take on,”

”Now, I will be fair and choose from the hat-“ and ten babies later and they all had one, save for Klaus who had the two. “Those three are yours,”

”Oh that’s nice, dear,” Grace smiled, Five was quick to dip out though, leaving the baby with a comment about _going to work_  and _preserving Klaus’s dumb life,_ whatever that meant. 

“ _Klaus. We need to talk...”_

”Dave, could you literally be even more of the worlds most perfect specimen and look after the babies for a little while?” Klaus clapped his hands together, holding them above his head in prayer, “dad wants to bug me, no doubt about the potentional of the babies,”

”Remind me how this happened again,” Dave signed, “I need a hard drink. I keep waiting to wake up but Five suggested that I should have my true wake up call, and realise I’m not asleep or dead,” Klaus pointed at him, nodding in agreement. “Do we pick names or...”

”I won’t force them on you. Simply think of it as babysitting, I like the name Katrin, keeping up that German theme. And Ben, because he’s my special little ghostie,”

”Well, if I’m dealing with powers and time travel I guess I’m going all in,” Dave said, “what would mama say if she saw me now,”

” _ahhhh!_ _I thought you were dead!”_ Klaus screamed, making Dave laugh loudly. “I feel like I’m asleep too, so don’t worry. Like, no really hard drugs in so long, somehow acquired two children, brought my boyfriend back from the dead, I’m living my best life,” 

“I would’ve haunted you, Briefcase,” Dave said, “don’t take forever,”

”I’ll be quick,” Klaus leaned forward but Dave stopped him with a gentle hand on his chest,

”Did I ever mention I’ve fallen?” He asked, Klaus thought back every moment, clearly Dave never needed to in his mind. Klaus loved how open Dave could be, how unlike Klaus who hid behind comedy and teasing, this man was an open book and so very brutally honest and vocal and vulnerable, and Klaus had never met anyone like him before. His family was so stunted, so emotionally blocked off. “And that even if we were back there I’d risk being caught with you,”

”We risked it all of the time, to Be honest,” Klaus grinned, nudging him with his shoulder. One of Klaus’s favourite memories had to be kissing Dave’s neck whilst they were on watch, and getting the worlds longest and toughest lecture that could put Reginald Hargreeves to shame. Klaus just remembered being so weirdly turned on and trying not to wake everyone up with his laughter. “It sorta took you dying for it to click I couldn’t live without you, really. It’s love,”

”Big net,” Dave snorted, “question is... who caught who?”

”you caught me with the net, you planted the lips first-“ before they could continue their bicker, which was really foreplay at this point, Reginald Hargreeves was calling Klaus’s name again, seemingly very impatient and annoyed. “Ugh, gotta go. Good old dad is ringing the bell,” and this time Klaus planted the lips and left with the ghost of his father. “Go on then, let’s be quick so I can ignore you,”

”It’s about time,” Reginald said, “I am sure you have noticed the changes. I believe disturbing the timeline with going back in time, and then bringing back your..l companion, has resulted in a massive shift,” he paused, lacing his hands together. “You are branching off, things are happening that did not before. And now you have no idea what is coming next,”

”People aren’t supposed to know what’s next, anyway. And yawn, how boring it is that everything is predictable-“

” _Klaus move!”_ Klaus turned just in time to see Allison running at him and he was swimming in a bubble of confusion, the yell, the fact she was here in the first place. Then she was grabbing him by the collar and yanking him out of the way just as something flew past his head, “How the hell did you miss that, have you lost 90% of your vision?” She snapped.

”Miss what?” She grabbed his jaw, enough that he winced in pain And she yanked his head To the side. “Oh... fuck... me. Talk about timeline change,” someone was floating above the ground, hair and clothes blowing in the harsh wind and vines slowly crawling out of the body. “Did he pull like a Sebastian Shaw or... a Deadpool, And like, mutate himself?”

”Klaus... he might be... one of us,” They both stepped back and Leonard tilted his head back, black eyes staring into the sky and grin on his cheeks. Klaus flinched back, holding up his hands as vines sped towards them, and they stopped, just short of their faces, and standing between them and Leonard was a blurry blue outline of Ben, his monster had come out, long tentacles holding the vines in tight grips and battling against them. “Leonard, we’ve suffered as much as you have - you don’t have to go down this path!”

”You know nothing of suffering!” His voice came out almost demonic, shooting chills down Klaus’s spine,

”Pretfy sure I’m an expert on the subject, no, _You Dont Know about suffering!”_

“Klaus, Stop antagonising him, it’s not a competition. Okay, we’ve all suffered terribly, please find sympathy for us... it wasn’t our fault for what happened to you. This place was hell, you’d been worse off here,” Allison pleaded, “We don’t want to kill you,”

”Okay, I know this isn’t the same version of Leonard, but I still very much want you dead,” Klaus admitted, “die or not it doesn’t bother me. So by all means, die here,” Leonard pushed back against Ben, hard enough that Ben disappeared with a pop of light and Klaus nearly fell over. He felt weak and drained and somehow a little hopeless. “Come on the  You waste of space-“ in a flash of wind Leonard disappeared, snarling and hissing angrily but gone none the less. 

“What the hell Is he planning?” Allison mumbled, “I don’t like it,”

”Join the club,” 


	17. The Vengeful Army

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diego calls Eudora, and Allison wants to know a little about Dave.

**Number Two/ Diego**

"Attempted murder, identity fraud, stalking, I think that's mostly what we can stick him with," Diego said,

"Or stick him with a knife," Klaus interjected, making a stabbing motion that Diego ignored. "You know you won't be able to keep him locked up right, you forget the whole  _he just tried to fuck me up with powers_ rant I just gave right?"

"That's why I have Pogo working on something," Luther added, "we know Dad used those pills to stop Vanya's abilities, In all the moments of her hurt and anger, the ability never showed through until she went off of the pills. Of course, we can't guarantee we can consistently get them into his system, so Pogo is working on something more permanent - hopefully some sort of wearable device,"

"You're going to X-Men him!" Klaus pointed, "Like a big old metal collar around his neck. Well, we have faced far more dangerous people so it should be a walk in the park. That the only case you working on dear brother?"

"Well, I should probably let Eudora know it was you blowing up the city and we can close that one. Five is handling Cha-Cha and Hazel..." Diego rubbed something on the whiteboard off and began to write again, Klaus couldn't help feeling like he was back in class at the academy, all sat in a row and staring up like little obedient students. 

"So, what's everybody planning after this?" Klaus asked, 

"Well, I’m working through the divorce with Patrick and we’re trying to figure out whose getting custody. He thinks because of my job, abilities and family that I shouldn’t get custody. At least he isn’t holding me using my powers on her over me this time, benefits of time travel," Allison sighed, "so I'll be heading home to deal with all of that... after that, I don’t know. I’m taking a break from... everything,”

"Well, I think I'll stick around for a little while, at least until I feel more stable with my um... power," Vanya muttered, "but aside from that I'll keep with the Violin lessons,"

"I'll just go back to working cases," Diego said, "mostly alone but I'll lend help here,"

"Well, I for one, am sticking around. I get my inheritance because I'm sober, I get Dave, I'll probably be working one-on-one with dear Sis here, and I still have Ben to pull back," Klaus sent his brother a wink and Ben rolled his eyes, "if I survive that, who knows, didn't plan this far ahead. Been flirting with death so long thought I would have gotten to at least first base," the idea that the family would once again just float away and forget about each other until the next death was scary for all parties involved. 

“I don’t want us to just drift apart,” Vanya said what they were all thinking. “We should be able to say that nothing but is more important than each other, and since the do-over sure we’ve been... closer, but...” she curled her hands together and shrugged. 

“Not quite the fairytale family bond,” Klaus said, 

“Ill go contact Eudora about Leonard,” ever the avoider, as they all were, Diego fled the room, already calling her before he could even shut the front door behind him. “Holy shit, what happened to you?”

”I do _not_ want to talk about it,” Five deadpanned, shoving past Diego to enter the house with a slam of the door. He didn’t look too hurt at least but his shirt was ripped to ribbons and he was limping. Diego had to ask himself the long awaited question of _what the fuck is wrong with this family, and can we ever get a break?_

“Business or social?” Patch asked when she answered, Diego looked away from the front door, shaking his head. 

“Both, really. The energy beams in the city were being caused by my brother, so no danger there. But we do have a problem, There’s one of us,”

”tell me everything, Diego,”

”He hates our guts and is trying to murder us all. Almost got the jump on Klaus. Pogo is working on something to stop his use of his power so you can charge him, and lock him up,”

”Look at you,” Eudora said, “Giving up the Rorschach act to follow the law. Did one night really bring back the original Diego Hargreeves?”

”Getting tired of it. Wanted to help prevent something for once, rather than stopping it after the fact,” Diego had his reasons for acting the way he did, not that he ever wanted to tell anyone. He knew Eudora and the others would get it with a little explanation, _I can’t follow the rules, or someone telling me what To do or how to act. I’ve had enough of that from growing up. Working as a team? Like the Umbrella Academy? Fat chance._

 _“_ Well, keep it up And you might just stay on as an assistant,” she said, “you’ve seemed less emotionally stunted lately, it’s good...”

”That’s What drew you in,” Diego smirked to himself, and she snorted,

”Its what pushed me away in the first place. Makes sense It would draw me back, doesn’t it?”

 

**Number Three/ Allison**

“So, you work as a body guard? But you’re so small,” Dave said, Klaus snorted loudly into the back of his hand and Five stared flames into both of them. 

“Body guard would suggest I look after one singular person. I protect the entire company, hundreds of people really. From people that actively move against them, our deal so I wouldn’t have to directly kill the innocents,” Five explained, “I’m sure you can guess how today went,” his voice was tight And low And he sat beside the open fire, knees tucked up and warming his cold hands.

Allison had her new baby tucked into his chest, wondering how she got exactly to this moment. Sitting with her two brothers and a baby that didn’t belong to her. She’d named her Clary Vanya Hargreeves, something her sister couldn’t believe. “Do you ever wonder if we’ll get anywhere with conventional methods of raising?” She asked, “if love actually is actually enough, or will the softness have them blowing up the moon from not being able to control themselves?”

”Well, at least I can say I tried and asked nicely,” Klaus hummed, “hey, did I ever tell you guys that Dave made the moves on me first?”

”Really?” Allison asked, “I didn’t think you’d keep your hands to yourself for a second,” a bunch of guys with guns and muscles? It must have been heaven and hell for him, “I feel like I barely know you, Dave,”

”We’ve all been quite preoccupied,” he pointed out, “not much to know, really. Farmer boy, extroverted, had a ma and a step da, was on the front line,” 

“He is obsessed with laughing,” Klaus cut in, “like we had to scrub so many toilets with our tooth brushes, and Do so many laps in the middle of the night, because he’d look at me from across the room, randomly laugh, get me going, and then before we know the commander is going wild,” Allison grinned and shook her head. Klaus looking genuinely happy and excited to talk about something was as strange as Vanya with powers, Diego with a baby, them all getting along. 

But she couldn’t help but prefer this way more. The light that she hadn’t seen in Klaus’s eyes very often whilst growing up. Caused by no pills and only fond memories during a not-so fond time. She always wanted that kind of love, the one she didn’t have to work for, the one that came as naturally as breathing. And now her fame had only further denied her that kind of love.  “How did Klaus dig the claws in?” Because Allison was ever a lover of gossip.

”Was like getting blitzed really,” Dave said, “like slowly then all at once. Feeling nothing till you stand up and suddenly you’re under the table unconscious. Course’ you all know he’s a dropout and I was so tired of the serious masculine crowd,” Dave waved his hand, 

“I made an impression,” Klaus grinned proudly, “Now, it is my job to make sure You, Vanya, and Luther all get Dates. And you Ben, once youre less dead. I’ll probably require a description of your types, and which way you swing,” he winked.

”Not to ruin the beautiful moment, but it seems our friend has been quite busy,” Five interjected, he grasped the TV remote in his hand, turning it up. 

“Remember when I said it’ll be a walk in the park kicking his ass?” Klaus winced, “didn’t think more than one person Hated our guts,”

”An army of freak-haters and jealous people with powers. I can’t discredit the intelligent idea,” Five hummed, they stared at the news, how the camera zoomed in on a giant umbrella painted onto a glass window, with a bright red X on it. And several people fleeing the scene, one floating that they all suspected was probably Leonard.


	18. The Relaxing Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave and Klaus relax.

**Number Four / Klaus**

”Everything I  _am_ good at I hate doing,” Klaus pointed out, “guess I don’t mind actually being useful to the academy as much as I used to. But now everybody’s got these expectations of me as if the knowledge I can bring back Ben is enough to keep me sober forever, or a couple of babies I never made and a boy can heal my fear of the dead And my powers,”

”You hate that they’re expecting you to do better now you get a second chance to live, and fix your mistakes,” Dave nodded, “if ive learned anything I know it’s a process with you. You go in circles. Doing good, gets sober, has a breakdown, does bad, gets high, gets thrown in rehab, then it begins again. Really, you need to break the cycle, ever tried going to someone instead of drugs?”

”They can talk me down all they want, doesn’t stop the dead. You’re talking right now and they’re everywhere. The more potential I unlock the more likely I breakdown, it’s a lose-lose situation, dear. The best part of Vietnam was the fact everybody got high as shit to avoid their nightmares,” 

“Maybe we could do with a few sessions for people like us, right? I’m sure plenty of vets see their dead friends, just they usually aren’t real,” he smiled, “it’ll Be hard to help your family, especially with all of these children you’ve all taken in if you’re struggling,”

”Ugh group therapy,” Klaus stuck his tongue out and looked down at the baby in his arms, he couldn’t help but think he absolutely messed up. That he should have let Mom take care of the children. “You’ll regret asking to, go...god-“ he pressed his free hand to his forehead, “distract me,”

”I never mentioned I wrote to my ma back in’ Nam,” Dave said, “before we went to the club. Mentioned you a lot, her reply to the letter was the first time I’d felt hopeful for a long time,”

”What did she say?” Now Klaus was intrigued, the ghosts around him couldn’t pull him away from Dave’s words for even a second. Ben was right there, a grounding anchor as always and _Dave_.

”She said, _you hairy boy, you doing this for kicks?_  a few lines later she mentioned me always gravitating towards stupidity and danger, so she was hardly surprised I chose to have a crush on you,” 

“How’d she take that?” 

“Surprisingly well. Took me a few minutes to realise that she was right, but at the end of the letter she assured me she thought you were as queer as Christmas,” and Klaus tossed his head back in a laugh, “said we could always hide on the farm together, that being if she met and approved you first. And she needed to talk my step da into it,”

”You've mentioned him before, you got your soft side from him,” Klaus smirked, 

“and the faith,” Dave pointed out, “he was a pacifist until faith, family or home was under threat,” Klaus thought about how similar Dave emend to that man, how soft he could be until his home was under attack. Klaus thought he was probably getting towards that point, too. “Not sure if he’d call you a devil or a miracle,”

”Ah, but a devil would use the powers for their own gain. Still sucks I didn’t get to meet your mom, she sounded cool... like she actually wanted the best for you, what a concept,” he snorted, jumping in fright as the baby in his Armstrong let out a shriek, and Dave took him. “Bottle feeding baby cows much different?”

”Not really,” Dave said, "by the way are you getting that or am I?" Klaus stared back, eyes blank and Dave shook his head, "the door?"

"Right - someone a-be-knocking!" Klaus walked off, slapping his forehead. "Well, well, well look who it is. Patch and...company,"

"Hey Klaus, seen Diego?" Klaus hummed to himself and shrugged, "You know I don't think I actually thanked you,"

"What for?"

"Saving my life?" Klaus stared back and squinted his eyes,

"I...did I?"

"Yes, you stopped me getting shot," She frowned back, Klaus smacked himself on the forehead again and left the front door, open, walking away and muttering to himself about  _oh yeah fucking second timelines,_ "Your brother told me about the man who he thinks is planning on attacking the academy,"

"Whiny piss-baby," Klaus shrugged, "kicking off because Dad didn't let his normal powerless ass into the academy as a kid. Or apparently - not so powerless ass... either way somehow we're to blame for it, don't know how that happened - I'm no mathematician but it doesn't quite add up,"

"Well, either way, I want to talk to Diego about moving all of your family and their families to a safe house. I don't know how well we could keep you safe here since we can't spare hundreds of police officers,"

"Well, now that Vanya knows she has powers, and mine are growing, I'm sure we'll be able to take him. Though not too sure about his army..." Klaus hummed, "either way I wouldn't worry _too much_ about me, I think the only way for me to die is through a higher purpose. So like, a sacrifice or something you know - more on the  _good_ side. Died from the world exploding though, probably because that was kind of a  _yeah we have to have a redo like Noah's ark style and you're out buddy_ , you know?"

"So you haven't seen Diego?"

"Just check his room. But you kids better leave the door open!" Klaus called as she walked past him and climbed the stairs, "you two like bodyguards?" he questioned the two men by the door, "pretty hefty guns. So which one of you likes baseball - because did you know a  _famous_ dead baseball player is following you around, you sleep with him or something?"

"Klaus, maybe you should leave them alone," Dave winced, "let them concentrate," 

"Right, distracted distracted," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes, "distractions distractions. Right, ignore the ghosts. Hand me Ben," he reached his hands out, like a baby grasping for sugar and Dave held him out. Klaus wouldn't admit he was still holding the baby like it was diseased or a bag of trash. But it had way more to do with fearing of dropping. Today was one of those days, where Klaus wanted to stick to people's sides so they could be at the ready to tie him up if he leapt for any drugs. "You think it's building back up?"

"Well... how do you feel?" _how did he feel?_ Klaus hummed, rolling his shoulders and pressing the baby close. "Weak, sick? like you're going to explode?"

"Really wanting to get wrecked, like I've been hit by lightning and there's all this electricity, horny," he listed off, each on a different finger. "The usual. Ooo- Parental!" 

"So nothing too worrying then," Dave breathed out, "you're making my hair go grey, Briefcase,"

"Yep, more stressful than the war that's me - Heyyy Buddy what's up?" Five stopped in his path, stared at Klaus, and then escaped through the front door, "he loves me to death- and what's wrong with you?" Five had been followed closely by Vanya, who had chosen to go straight to the kitchen instead, seemingly totally and completely normal, until the portraits on the walls started shaking, 

"Five and I had a disagreement, I feel guilty,"

"Ah well, If I had an Oxy for every time one of us got in a fight I'd be having my stomach pumped," Klaus waved a hand, "he'll get over it. The real worry is what to do about Peahead. He's really becoming a pain in my ass and _not_ in a good way. And us hiding from him isn't exactly going to kill him,"

"You think we should target and eliminate him?" Dave frowned, and Klaus nodded, "There's a chance eliminating the leader will discourage the others. But they could also become more determined to kill you all,"

"If I can learn how to put a barrier between us and then we'll be grand, a giant wall of the dead will keep them out. Only... I may be a charming, gorgeous, medium. But I doubt the dead will be happy being our personal human shields for free," he drawled, "any ideas?"

"Well... I'm sure many of your fans will help, or ghosts with powers like you. Lot of the guys we served with probably would, too. As well as any ghosts wanting to get revenge on any of our foes," Dave suggested, "anybody else you could probably buy,"

"And that's why I think of you whilst I'm taking a bath," Klaus sighed, "so perfect," he squeezed the bridge of his nose and breathed in, "where's yours anyway?"

"What? the baby?" Vanya frowned, "with Pogo. I was doing training with Five. He thinks I should take more meds but for my emotions, as well as get some therapy,"

"Therapy? Yes. Meds...mmmm I mean...give or take really. No need to rush, our lives are being threatened and there are babies to change,"


	19. The Suicide Squad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone Begins to brace for the upcoming fight.

**Number 6/ Ben**

“You know I’m not staying here, right?” Diego said to Patch. Ben sat and watched the arguments beginning whilst Klaus took his turn in the game they were playing. “Anyone who wants to is free to stay here. But you won’t catch me hiding when they come attacking the city,”

”You’re a target, Diego. Super or not you can’t take all of them,”

”and you definitely can’t stop them alone. Do you really think they won’t find us here?” He snorted, “I give it a week tops. Sure, Pogo, Mom, Allison’s daughter and the kids, yes. But not me,”

”Guess we should all probably just leave,” Ben chimed in, even though only Klaus could hear him. Klaus glanced at his brother And shook his head, “we can take them,”

”Yeah, no go no show,” Klaus said, “we’ll get our asses handed to us. _One_ guy kicked the shit out of three of you. Two human assassins kicked us _all_ around the house. And you think we can take an army of seriously pissed off super people? Sure if you want to join Ben in being my permanent sidekick go ahead,” 

“So you want to hide like a coward?” Diego challenged, “why am I not surprised. So what, is it just me and Five?”

”Someone should be here to protect the children,” Luther started, “don’t forget we’ve got a lot of people depending on us now. Your pride might get a little bruised, but you’ll survive,” Diego shook his head and laughed, 

“Precious, really. I’m going to get some bullet proof armour, any technology I can find at home, and any weapons and I’ll take as many as I can with me, until I die,” 

“You’re being stupid again, Diego honey,” Klaus called, “we should at least come up with a plan instead of running in blindly,”

”bait,” Five said,

”I know you’re not going to continue that with _my_ name,” Klaus threatened, “I am _always_ the bait. And I’d like to point out I’m now the guy whose going to have to resurrect your stupid ass,” 

“I’ll do it...” Vanya said, “I don’t look like much but...” she stared down at her violin, running her palm over the strings, feeling the rough cold metal. “I did hurt a lot of people at once... I’m sure I could take them. We could stage it to look like we’re unprepared,”

”How did this turn from discussing the danger, To throwing ourselves to the wolves?” Klaus whined, “we always do this,” Ben tutted and grabbed two cards, it took a moment of them slipping through his fingers before he could stack them on the tower they were building. 

“Look, I want to but I have my daughter to think about...” Klaus had met Claire a handful of times but he always ended up having long awkward staring competitions with her. So by extension Ben had only seen Claire a few times, and that meant absolutely no conversation conspired between the two. Patrick was here, having refused to let Allison be alone with their daughter. _It’s a real party,_ Klaus had said when everyone filed in. Cozy, was a word used.

Because this shelter was almost too small for all of them. “Just raise your hand if you’re coming to help fight,” Diego said, Five rose his hand for a second and the room went eerily silent, until Ben reached over, grabbed Klaus’s arm and flung it up. “You and Ben, then,” And Klaus began to splutter. “Luther?” Pure silence stretched across the room and Diego gritted his teeth, “Number One?”

”I should help protect the others,” Luther said, shaking his head. 

“Okay, that’s settled, then,” Vanya said, raising her own hand.

”Vanya, no powers for the majority of her life, can barely control them, has never had combat training has more bravery and dedication than you two,” Diego pointed to Luther, and then to Allison. “Scared to leave your daughter, sure but-“

”Diego back off,” Luther hissed, “you-“

”No, I wouldn’t,” Diego deadpanned, “I would be out there reguardless. Making sure my family is safe. We can’t stay here they will find us and they will kill us, and everyone around us. We do this now, or we do it later after there’s been casualties.”

”I can’t believe this,” Klaus hissed at Ben, “You _suck!_ Right, always ready to die again and get bullied by god. Dave, you already know I don’t have to say it, strong, gorgeous, but still ordinary,” 

“I’ll help defend the place,” Dave promised, 

“What’s the actual plan?” Five asked, “because right now this is a suicide mission. We start back at the academy, a place we all know Leonard Peabody knows the location of. Thankfully, we have an advantage over him. He has only ever seen interviews and read Vanya’s book. That means, he doesn’t know the true organic version of us. He doesn’t know how far our abilities extend, he’s going in blind,”

”Until he gets her eyes we should be training,” Diego said, “especially you two,” Klaus and Vanya glanced at each other and Klaus crossedhis arms. “I’d be helpful if you could learn quick how to keep projections of ghosts around longer, so Ben can help,” Ben cracked his knuckles and nodded to himself. “If you’re the bait, you’ll need to stay in areas where you will be easily targeted, like the front room and close to the house,”

”I might sit outside for awhile And play,” Vanya nodded, “as long as I stay vigilant they won’t get past me,”

”You’re all insane,” Luther warned, “this isn’t one we can beat,”

”So let’s let them trap us in this limited tiny space, where there is only one exit they can block,” Ben said, and Klaus snorted loudly. “Bit of rag on fire shoved through the door, done deal. What a meat head,” Klaus choked and laughed into the back of his hand, arming a particularly wary look from Patrick and Claire. 

“Best we can do is try to survive as long as we can,” Diego nodded,

”I’ll have everyone Available help-“

”Absolutely not,” Diego cut off, “Eudora, normal cops aren’t ready for this kind of fight. If you send them to this fight you’ll be sending them to their death. I’d be surprised if a hundred cops managed to take out one of them. It’s not worth it. That means just like Dave here, you’re not to get involved,”

”I mean Dave and I served on the front lines in Vietnam for ten months and I’ve still banished him here,” Klaus pointed out, “its not that kind of fight. Maybe if it was just against Leonard, but he’s decided to throw us a welcome party,”

”I’ll make sure to tell everyone to stay away. We’ll linger in the area, try to minimise the amount of causalities,” Eudora nodded, “I’ll give you all I can,”

”We could make Molotov Cocktails,” Ben said, and Klaus gasped loudly enough to startle everyone,

”I forgot you knew how to make those!” He slapped a hand to his forehead, and ignored Patrick asking Allison _what the hell is wrong with her brother_. “I bet Five knows some cool things. Hey Five can you make bombs?”

”Some,” Five said, “I assume Ben Is here, Molotov Cocktails I believe he very much enjoyed creating. Earned him many nights in the padded room if I remember correctly,” Ben sneered at the thought, a time when their father would strap Ben up, causing immense pain every time the Horror tried to come out. Making him do twice as many chores or help others during training. _Rely only on yourself Number 6. Only on your powers. And never on things in the surrounding areas. Never on weapons, or backup, and not on cocktails._

 _“_ Get some grenades, heavy guns and knives. We’ll kick their asses. Come on-“ 

“I will just teleport us,”

”Do you want to waste energy like that?” Ben snorted, and Luther repeated that very question. Of course Five ignored him and he hovered close to Klaus, grasping his shoulder.

”I love you,” Klaus said to Dave, who leaned against him, forehead resting on Klaus’s cheek. “Every time I think I’ll get a second to breathe, I have to run off-“

”Well, you’ve always been a magnet for danger,” Dave said, “I knew what I was getting into. Ever since the night you arrived and we had the bomb attack, and you ran directly into the danger to try to get people out,” Klaus hummed, shutting his eyes and clearly recalling such memory. 

“Chop-Chop, hate to ruin the moment but...” Five gestured around them and Klaus sighed, kissing the side of Dave’s mouth. 

“Stay lucky, Briefcase,”

”Luck does has everything to do with it...” Klaus grinned. It was weird teleporting _with_ Klaus. It was the most alive Ben had felt for a long time, a rushing of energy almost like an electrical current, like Hotwiring a car Ben suddenly filled with life, closing his eyes and savouring the feeling of his stomach dropping, and heart warming his body.

The first thing anyone did was done by Five. He landed in front of the coffee table and swiped his hands across it, causing a loud bang to erupt into the room, the papers and cups and books going flying. “Every weapon gets put on here. Including explosives and such, now go,” Five ordered, “Vanya. Find yourself a gun and a knife, just in case,” and she nodded. “Klaus. Start practising for bringing Ben and company here. Diego, collect as many throwable objects as you can. I will start gathering all medical supplies. Then we’ll begin creating the cocktails and any explosives we can create. Who knows how long we have, so best of luck,”


	20. The Number Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fight Begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably one of my favourite chapters thus far.  
> Whip out the sad playlists boys.  
> Lol I'm actually so sorry?

**Leonard Peabody / Harold Jenkins**

_Leonard -_ he preferred to go by knew there was only one way to win a fight, and that was to always overestimate your enemy - never underestimate. Cockiness was a man's main killer and the one thing that will always destroy you in the end. He thought about it all on his way to the Academy, each and every face acting cocky - acting like they were better than him and deserved more, standing by whilst that man crushed his heart in his leather-cladded hands.

They were not good people. Good people did not exist and that was clear to him. He clutched the book to his side, glancing down at it and pressing his lips together.  _Vanya Hargreeves_ could try to soften the blow as much as possible, but nothing got past the words underneath, the  _they used to be bad but they learned after a massive disaster_. It took said disaster. It took something ten times bigger than themselves to realise they were shitty human beings being shitty to a human being. And she was clearly stronger for it. Good for her but it didn't erase her siblings mistakes.

The biggest being fucking  _Klaus Hargreeves_ , stain on the Earth. Deluded, insane, selfish freak, thief with a lacking of empathy -  _seemingly unable to care for anyone but himself_. Everything Leonard's father was and more. Drunk, druggie, coach potato waste of t _ime._ Leonard launched the book across the ground, watching it skid and collect dirt, watching the cover of the six super children becoming scratched. "Fuck the Hargreeves," a voice snapped from beside him, Leonard barely spared a look at the woman, fists curled tightly.

"Fuck' em," a man agreed, Leonard couldn't be wrong... he wouldn't be - not when so many others saw what he did, saw the selfish, cocky, behaviour and the  _better than thou bullshit they all spewed_. "There's one of them," he sneered, Leonard followed the man's gaze, standing ahead of the rest of them. Staring at a figure sitting in front of the house on a chair, hands weaving across something.

"Vanya Hargreeves," someone interjected, "ability to harness sound and mold it into energy, I'd rate her extremely highly for being a danger. But she doesn't have much control, unless scared or angry," Leonard nodded to himself and walked forward. Towards this girl, a woman he could have once known in another universe, and now she was a stranger, now there was no recognition or fear but determination. 

She noticed the movement, stumbling up and backwards, and then she yelled for the others and her hand swiped through the air so quickly it was a blur of colours, and the air around them exploded and her eyes rolled back, the colour bled out of them like they were melting, turning an ashy white and she frantically began to play. Leonard stared left and right, he'd already lost two of his people who'd died on impact of the energy explosion, he leapt behind a car and squeezed his hands into fists. "Get me close," he ordered, a couple others nodded and he jumped out, she screamed again and the energy hit him just as he managed to swipe something from his pocket. 

They both fell at once. Leonard hit the ground, feeling the muscles in his wrist painfully tearing, and Vanya hit the ground next. Her body began to convulse and by the time Leonard had got up someone had a knee on her back, and he tucked away the taser. "Bait?" someone asked.

"No," Leonard said, staring down at the struggling girl as they dragged the violin away from her. "Slit her throat-"

"Get the hell away from her-!" A voice yelled, Leonard looked up just as a girl came running down the street, gun in hand. The second sister, Leonard stepped forward to meet her, and expelled his vines, yelling as she shot into them, but it wasn't enough to stop his power, he wrapped them around her waist and neck, and she cut at them with a knife. "I heard a ru-" before she could yell an explosion happened from behind them, and Vanya was standing again. She threw up her hands and Leonard took out two birds with one stone, and threw Allison at her, sending both violently hitting the pavement.

"Kill them," Leonard growled, " _kill them all!_ " he yelled. Leonard stormed ahead, throwing open the doors and stopping in his tracks.

"Hi bitches," Klaus grinned, he threw out his hands and a thousand images swirled around them - no, not images, the dead. Body after body lunging at them and scaring them blind.

"They can't hurt you!" Leonard yelled over the noise, 

"Not all," Klaus said, "say Hi to my brother Ben," a glowing image appeared and large tentacles swiped up the two fighters beside Leonard, ripping them to shreds with no mercy. Leonard tried his strategy again, but Klaus wasn't the same as Vanya, the pain of hitting the ground from the taser did nothing to make the dead vanish, he had already opened the path between the living and the dead. When Klaus eventually stopped shaking he was panting, "better than being choked," he laughed, he was a maniac, he was manic, he was looking up at the ceiling on his back laughing loudly like Leonard had done nothing at all.

So Leonard stepped over him and wrenched Klaus's head back "Let go of my brother," Diego demanded, he held up four knives in each hand, sneering at Leonard. "We didn't do shit to you, and spoiler alert living here was worse than hell," Leonard raised an eyebrow and was quick to draw his arm back, he had a knife pressed firmly to Klaus's throat and he pulled it across, just as Diego's knife hit their target in Leonard's shoulder and arm. 

"I'm...I'm good," Klaus choked, he pressed his palm to his neck, Leonard hadn't gotten far enough to cut the main jugular, Klaus knew he'd be fine but Diego was panicking, "calm - calm," he threw his other hand up, 

"Focus Diego," Five demanded, "and move-" he threw something that rolled across the ground and exploded into a cloud of fog that blinded them all. When it began to clear and Leonard was snatching the knife from his shoulder and arm the three were gone. 

 

**Number Three/ Allison**

"You came," Vanya smiled up at her sister, Allison pet her hair and nodded, they were both crouched behind a car, small group moving towards them. "Thank you, you probably just saved my life,"

"You're family, I look after my family," Allison shook her head, "Dave has it covered. But it seems like Leonard has the meat and potatoes here anyway. Luther's here, but he's on the roof preparing an attack from above to take them by surprise," 

"I don't have my violin and it's so noisy Allison," Vanya gasped out, "what's the plan?" Allison poked her head from out behind the car and stared at Vanya,

"Focus on me," Allison ordered, and she started to hum and hum and then sing, Vanya closed her eyes, ears following the sound of Allison's singing until everything else went quiet, and the car was ripped out by the attackers, and just as they were about to attack Vanya was opening her eyes and noticing them all far away. "You created a barrier like... a shield and when they fired at it... it bounced back," Vanya let out a loud breath and stood up quickly, "we - we... w-we have to... we have to go," 

"Keep it together, they're not people they're objects okay, they're objects until we win the fight and then they're people and we'll mourn having to hurt them. But for now they're nothing but brick walls that stand in your way," Allison said, "dad taught us that early," Vanya shuddered, and started walking towards the house, stepping over the bleeding people. "Most of them look okay, they'll follow us in,"

"We can't just..." Vanya stared at the guns on the ground and shook her head, "it doesn't feel right shooting them point blank when they're already down," they both knew someone like Diego or Five would have shot them all in the head, but they just kept on walking, trying to ground themselves and forget about it all  _objectify, objectify god damn it Allison why can't you objectify them?_ she demanded of herself.

Inside the house was chaos. When they entered Vanya was hit with a burst of heat and covered her mouth, violently coughing. It was steadily filling with smoke, Five was running along the wall and teleporting every time he went to fall or lose his grip, he aimed for each and every enemy, shooting and spraying bullets like she'd never experienced before. As did Klaus. It took her by complete shock how accurate his aim was, how he crouched on the floor, squinting one eye shut and  _bang, bang, bang_ each and every shot matched Five's.

"MOVE!" A voice screamed, Vanya looked at Allison and they both ran towards the main staircase, just as the ceiling began to fall and the main room burst into flames. Luther appeared, ground shaking under his feet when he landed, she was scared for a moment the floor would come through. "You bitch," a hand came from nowhere, striking across Allison's face and she stumbled back and wiped the blood from her mouth, a woman stood, bandage wrapped tightly around her arm and knife drawn. 

"Help the others," Allison demanded of the two and they fled up the stairs. The staircase was shaking and unstable and the room dark with smoke but Allison stood and drew her own knife from her boot.

 

**Number Five**

Five had exactly two knife wounds, not too deep, one bullet wound and a dislocated thumb he'd snapped back into place. Not too shabby. Sometimes Five almost missed the adrenaline of a fight, the taking out of an enemy. But that life was long past him, until his family was threatened. He aimed easily, taking out each person who tried to fight back, but the few powered ones were still sneaking through. Someone had just turned him temporarily blind - which he knew happened to Klaus a few minutes back but he regained his sight when someone hit the person.

Despite that Five's shots weren't too shabby and he made sure to throw punches or kick out every once in awhile in hopes of catching someone trying to sneak up. Didn't help much when someone tackled him over the Bannister though, but Five was very familiar to the feeling of falling and teleported away, leaving whoever it was to their fiery death. His face was blackened with ash, his lungs screamed for fresh air but he just tugged a hand towel off of the Bannister and tied it around his mouth. "Should take this outside!" Klaus yelled, "before we burn alive," Five couldn't imagine how Ben was feeling right now, surrounded by so much ash and fire and death. Their lives certainly weren't fair.

 

 **Number Two/ Diego**  

"- Wait WAIT!" Klaus screamed.

At the end of the hallway was Leonard with a knife. A few people were pointing guns at Klaus, causing him to stop moving forward in an instant, "Leonard, think about this... We'll give up," Klaus said, Leonard had somehow holding Diego, and the blade circled Diego's chest right over his heart, " _we didn't even do anything wrong!_ " he yelled. Vanya caught up to them, gasping.

"I'm sorry Diego I'm so sorry," she spluttered, her blue button-up shirt was stained with blood, from the collar down to the middle and she gripped her chest in pain, "he got the jump on me I'm so fucking useless!" 

"We've been jumped before, nothing we're not used to," Diego said, sneering when Leonard pressed harder to his chest, "Jealous?" he asked Leonard with a grin, "that I would risk my life for my sister, go in with no weapons to stop you. And nobody will even give you the time of day if you pay them a thousand dollars?" he laughed.

"I don't think you're quite aware of the position you're in," Leonard said back, his voice was icy and direct and Diego huffed. "The little one is already gone," they look at each other, wide eyed and mouths dropping open, "smashed in his head, you'll be lucky if he lives, and if he does he'll be nothing but an empty shell," Diego rammed his elbow angrily into Leonard's stomach and Leonard stumbled back they clashed.

Klaus took that moment to squeeze his eyes shut, squeeze his palms into balls and make Ben appear, his tentacles flew through the air and latched onto Leonard, ripping him away from Diego and smashing his body through the upstairs window. Leonard met eyes with the dead eyes of Ben and Ben let go. Diego could see Klaus opening his eyes and running forward, Diego was still concerned about the spilling of steady blood from Klaus's neck and his pale skin, but Klaus was clearly pretty concerned. "I'm fine," Diego grunted,

"No you're not," Klaus whispered, another explosion shook the house and Klaus wrapped his hand around the top of the knife in Diego's chest, "but you will be," he promised, "Vanya cover us!" Vanya didn't move, she couldn't move. "VANYA!" Klaus screamed, and her eyes snapped wide, "COVER ME!" Klaus stumbled up, trying to pull Diego up but stumbled with the heavy weight of his brother. "Come on... walk for fuck sake!" 

"Shit Diego," Luther gasped, 

"Luther you need to find Five, Leonard said they hurt him!" Klaus yelled, " _now!_ " Luther nodded, glancing once more at Diego and running off. A wall to their left collapsed and suddenly Klaus could see into his room. And so Diego, Diego stared into Klaus's room, the posters on the walls curling up with the heat of the fire, the look on his brother's face as clearly so many memories were flashing through his mind. They would never live here again. "Just stay with me, Diego," Klaus said, shaking himself out of his daze. He tried to go downstairs but the stairs were gone, so he cursed and spun around. 

"Emergency exit!" Vanya said, Klaus nodded quickly and they ran down the hall, Vanya finally took Diego's other side, trying to not to stretch and pull him around too much, they both stumbled into the wall a handful of times before Vanya kicked open the emergency exit and they started up the stairs towards the roof. "We're almost there - we're almost there," she chanted,

"Fuck-" Klaus stumbled on the last step to the roof, tumbling to the ground and bringing down Vanya and Diego. He crawled onto his knees, hands slipping on the blood covered ground and he spun around, "Diego - hey Di _ego...-"_

 

**Number Six / Ben**

Ben stared down, eyes slowly drooping like he was about to fall asleep, it was like his body had just released every endorphin it could, everything to calm him, he felt drowsy and heavy, or like every drip of his soul had drained away and left him empty. Klaus was going to attract the attention of any of Leonard's people who were still standing with his screaming. But it wasn't like Ben or Vanya had the ability to talk at the moment and warn him of it. 

Klaus hadn't been this inconsolable until he had to learn of Ben's death from  _seeing_ Ben's ghost. Or maybe when he lost Dave. Somehow this was almost worst, just like Ben's death had been this was a shock to the system, but Diego had been so undefeatable, so talented and ruthless. And now he was pale and he wasn't breathing, and Klaus wasn't breathing and he was panicking, hands scrambling over the knife. 

"K-Klau...Klaus br-br-breat-breathe," Vanya gasped through her tears. Somehow hearing his own name made it worse, like he remembered who he was and he started screaming again and grasping Diego's shirt, "it's...it's... go-going t-t-to- b-be o-...okay..." Klaus shook his head frantically, fighting off her arms that tried to tangle around him, "I'm... s-so ...I'm so sorr-" she choked out, grasping her heart like it was going to stop beating, Vanya flinched as Klaus spun around, blood soaking through his shirt, a mix of his and Diego's. She closed her eyes, ready for the hit that was about to come when Klaus raised his hand.

And it clenched around her, she opened her eyes and caught her brother who fell into her arms. She parted her mouth, wanting to say something but nothing could squeeze through the tightening of her throat, so she just wrapped her arms around him and he violently sobbed into her arms, squirming and flinching and moving his head back and forth like he was in agonising physical pain. Vanya knew they couldn't stay there, but how could they leave? leave their burning home and their dead brother laying on a roof in a pool of blood. 

But she had to, and she had to be stronger than Klaus right now. Even though it felt impossible she stood up, her shaky knees almost brought them both back down but she just grasped Klaus tightly around the waist and dragged him to the edge of the roof. he went without compliant, aside from a hand stretched weakly towards Diego's body. "We have to go," Ben said, Klaus looked up, tear-dampened eyelashes, "if you stay here you'll burn or someone will hurt you," 

"I can't..." Klaus whimpered, "I can't leave him,"

"It's okay," Ben whispered, "just like me Luther was the priority, I was already gone, recovering my body would have just put him in harms way. Diego doesn't want that, Klaus. Go," he said, "please, go," Klaus jerkily nodded and Vanya pushed him ahead first, clearly Klaus couldn't climb down the ladder very well. His hands were shaking, and the further he climbed down the less he could breathe, the more he panicked, the more anxiety wrapped around his chest until his feet hit the pavement and he collapsed on all fours. "It's okay,"

"No..." Klaus gasped out, "I can't do this, again, I can't I can't why can't I just..." he smacked his hands over his eyes, 

"No more people are dying in this family, Klaus," Ben said, and Klaus shook his head and stumbled to his feet, hands swiping frantically at his eyes. 

"Vanya - Klaus, get over here!" Allison yelled, Vanya ran ahead and Klaus walked, he walked as quick as he could but it was more of a zombie-walk, a dragging of the feet like weights were attached to his shoulders, "We can't wake up Five," she gasped out, frantically. His head was split open, bloody pouring steadily out of it. "Oh god... oh god, it's bad it's so bad-" 

"He might have some damage to his head," Luther warned, "we have to get out of here, leave anyone who survived," he gently picked up Five, trying not to move his head too much, and Five flopped around like he was already dead, face just as pale as Diego's and it sent Klaus over the edge into a frenzy.

"Klaus - Klaus!" Ben warned as he saw Klaus start to shake, "Klaus do-" and it happened. Klaus collapsed again and everyone covered their eyes as energy exploded out of him and thousands of the dead came pouring through, Allison swiped at the air, feeling the prickly cold touches, the dead just barely able to brush against her and gently scratch her in their desperate attempts to  _hurt hurt hurt_. "Klaus stop!" Ben screamed. Klaus shook his head left and right and more and more kept coming.

"Number Four stop this!" Reginald snapped, when Klaus looked up his eyes had turned bright blue, not just his irises but the entire eye, and he screamed at Reginald and threw out his hands. Blue yelled and stumbled back when Reginald's eyes widened and he seemed to crumble away. Klaus threw out his hands and Ben stumbled again, avoiding the energy blast that expelled the dead.

"Klaus you're going to hurt Ben!" Luther yelled, "don't you dare-!" his voice shook, Klaus couldn't do anything to stop it. The dead just kept piling through the opening and piling through and screaming and scratching and biting everyone and the longer it went on, the more damage they could do. 

"I heard a rumour your power isn't working-!" Allison yelled, and it didn't work. It  _didn't work_. So Ben grabbed Klaus's shoulder and shook him,

"Klaus look at me-!" Ben yelled, "who do these belong to?" he grasped the dog tags around Klaus's neck, lifting them up, "who can you hold again, kiss again, talk to again?" he asked, "who are you touching  _right now_ , it's not over forever, Klaus. I swear to you you'll see him again, you'll see him  _and_ Five if he doesn't wake up, because you're so fucking special and you're so fucking amazing and I've always respected the hell out of you," Klaus swallowed, his eyes clouding over, "every night I lay awake just as you were, every night we tapped against the wall in morse code, every day you had the courage- drugs, alcohol, who cares you're still the strongest one of us all,"

"I'm sorry-" Klaus choked out, curling into himself, and the light faded away, gradually until it was just Ben standing there. Everyone looked at each other in relief and Klaus curled up on the concrete, "I'm sorry..." 

"...Guys?" Allison's eyes widened, she looked up and down the street, spinning and looking in every direction frantically, "where the hell is Diego?" her voice was higher, taking on a pitch of hysteria at her missing brother. Luther looked equally concerned, staring back at the house and going to pass Five into Allison's arms.

"Don't go back in there," Vanya whispered, Luther stopped, frowning, "it's no use... he's gone," Luther shook his head, like Vanya was just assuming until Vanya swallowed thickly, "Klaus and I... we... Leonard..." 

"What the fuck are you saying?" Luther snapped,

"he killed him," Vanya choked out, "fuck... oh fuck-" she covered her mouth and Klaus closed his eyes, "he stabbed him in the chest and he...he just... he just..." she choked out, "we left his body on the roof we couldn't..."

"That's not right," Luther shook his head, "you're mistaken, he's still alive, just hurt-" Vanya shook her head and grasped Luther's arms, "get the hell off of me you're mistaken,"

"Luther he wasn't breathing-"

"Diego can hold his breath as long as he wants, there was smoke in the house he was just holding his breath!" Luther exclaimed, and Vanya shook her head,

"there was no pulse no breath, he was pale and bloody fuck Luther-" Vanya rambled, and Luther shoved her out of the way and shoved Five into Allison's arms and descended back up to the roof. Allison didn't move, she held her brother close, resting her mouth on his head. They all stared up at the roof and Ben turned his head. 

"Hey," Ben whispered, Diego was stood there, still a bloody mess and eyes clouded over, barely an image, far more like smoke. 

"I'm proud of them, we did good," Diego said, and Ben nodded, throwing his arms around Diego, "we did good," he said again.


	21. The Police Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus is determined to fix everything.

**Number Six / Ben**

Ben had felt useless a numerous amount of times. Just like Klaus and Vanya his power was hard to control, just like them his hesitation or fear or inability to control it could get people or himself hurt. But somehow he felt even worse, Klaus didn’t often talk to himself, but he was. He was walking back and forth in a straight line, shaking his head and muttering under his breath. “He can’t see me,” Diego said, “when did he see you?”

”Immediately,” Ben said, he’d always been known for being the truthful one, for being the one who hesitated to lie forever and always. “He didn’t know I was dead though, his guard was down. Now he had a wall the size of the Great Wall of China up right now, he won’t admit you’re dead so he won’t see you,” Diego nodded and watched Klaus going back and forth. “He can’t see me either,”

”He’s broke isn’t he,” Diego said and Ben nodded, finally Klaus spoke though, loud and clear enough that they could catch it, _dad dad dad_ he kept saying, and they stared at each other.

”Bastard,” he spat into the air, “cruel, abusive, manipulative, sociopathic bastard but fuck... _fuck-“_ Klaus choked out, “I didn’t mean to... god you were right fuck you were always right, Why was I always fighting back why was I _always_ trying to convince myself you couldn’t Be right,”

”We have to punch the sanity back into him,” Diego said, “if he ever had any to begin with,”

“If I had of just practised and gotten over my fucking fear... who knows what could have happened, you would still exist, maybe Ben And Five And Di-Die-“ he slapped his hands over his mouth and breathed in, somehow the idea that Klaus had stopped their father from existing, that no one would ever see him again had sent him even further over the edge.

Ben hated Reginald, he still called him Reginald in his head most of the time. He couldn’t understand the relationship between Klaus and Reginald. How Klaus was so excited he was dead but how him dying through suicide broke his heart, how leaving home made his life so much better, but how he somehow got worse mentally without someone there To push him. How Klaus managed to hate and care about the man all at once. Dead was fine, forever gone was something Klaus wasn’t used to.

Once upon a time Ben would have asked how it was possible to hate someone and care all at the same time. He definitely knew now. “Klaus, talk to me,” Ben sighed, “are you just pretending you can’t see me?”

”Klaus...?” Klaus looked up, stopping his pacing to stare at Eudora for a moment, before he continued to walk back and forth, “You’re not in trouble, Klaus, you’re here so we can protect you and your family and go over what’s happened-“

” _I know that!_ ” Klaus exclaimed. “Just fuck off-“

”Hey! Don’t talk to her like that!” Diego yelled, 

“Is...is he there?” She whispered, Klaus laughed to himself and ignored her, “are you hurt?” He rolled his eyes and she sighed deeply, “Your brothers in the hospital, they’ve put him into a coma. They’re hoping when they wake him up he won’t be too damaged,”

”Ah, Little Five, escaping from pain once again,” Klaus beamed, “it’s always him, he missed Ben’s death too did you know? Had to read about it in a book. Who knows maybe he’ll hear one of us talk about it, and he’ll be trapped in his own head screaming about it, but being unable to function or move or cope, yay,” he clapped his hands and Eudora sat in one of the chairs.

Ben could see, Klaus Hated her right now. He hated her crumpled shirt, and messy hair, and baggy eyes and he hated that she reflected him, his suffering his mourning. He so badly must have wanted her gone. “She’s reminding him you’re gone,” Ben said to Diego, “don’t hold it against him,”

”He’s one of the worst people for hiding,” Diego hissed, “probably is the worst. He bottles everything up and it’s annoying as hell,” whereas Klaus had stopped pacing, Diego now took over for him. 

“How's your neck feeling? I heard they gave you a couple of stitches... and I brought you a coffee. Everyone else is getting checked out for their injuries, Is your neck the only one?"

”Wouldn't you like to know,” Klaus grinned, taking the coffee from her hands. He had this sober game he would play as a teenage called _drink something and pretend it’s alcohol. Pretend it expels the ghosts, pretend it gets you drunk._ Ben had seen him play it so many times, Klaus closed his eyes, sipping on the coffee and trying to control the shaking of his wrists. “Maybe I’ll get an infection and _die_ ,” 

”You’re nuts,” Diego snapped at him, “I’m gonna kick your ass,” he stormed up to his brother, looking right into his eyes, “You’re a shit actor and I know you can see me. You think I don’t know how you work? We grew up together and your mouth is doing the thing it does when you’re trying to hide you can see or hear something you don’t want to,”

Klaus chuckled under his breath and put down the coffee, “ _go away,_ ” he sneered and Diego took a step back in shock, “I don’t want you here-“ he screamed, Eudora stood up, eyes widening as Klaus launched forward, to Eudora it looked as if his hands had connected to the air, like air was suddenly a solid. 

To Ben Diego went stumbling back from the hit and Klaus stormed forward again, and Ben grabbed his arm, wrenching him back. “Klaus, I’m going to go get somebody okay?” Eudora said, he ignored her in favour of punching Ben’s shoulder.

”Doesn’t hurt,” Ben deadpanned and Klaus punched harder, “doesn’t hurt,” he said again.

”Get off of me!” He screamed, “let me go Ben, I swear to god-“ he swung his other arm and yelped In surprised as a loud smashing shook the room and the two sided mirror exploded and scattered the room with shards of glass. A cop on the other side stumbled back in shock and Klaus climbed through the gap and shoved past him,

”Where the hell are you going?” Diego demanded,

”I’m going to find myself some drugs. They have an evidence locker, I can get into it. I’m magical,” he deadpanned, “I’m going to take so much I can taste what my own tongue tastes like,” 

“You’ll lose your abilities, Klaus. You could maybe... bring him back,” Ben pointed out, Klaus stopped walking, spinning around quickly,

”Do you really think so?” His eyes shone with hope and he stepped close to Ben, hands outstretched like he was going to hug him. “Could I... I have to-“ 

“Not now, Klaus. You already used a lot of power in the fight, you’ll die,” Ben warned,

”Good job, Ben,” Diego sighed as Klaus started towards the entrance of the police station. “The fact that hes openingly walking past everyone is pissing me off,” 

“Klaus, stop,” Luther stepped into his path and Ben could have gave him a high five for it. 

“No, listen, I’m going to go outside and bring Diego back to life. But I can’t be in here because people will get hurt,” Klaus smiled, 

“Okay,” Luther agreed,

”Luther, you idiot!” Ben yelled, slapping the back of his hand to his forehead, he was about to blow up, to call Luther every bad name under the sun, until Luther grabbed Klaus’s wrist and handcuffed him to a nearby radiator. “There’s that brain I know you have!” 

“What the fuck are you doing?” Klaus yelled, yanking at the handcuff, 

“Maybe you can try next month, IF, we assess the likeliness of you getting hurt or dying. If the chances are too high he’s staying dead, Klaus,” Luther warned,

”Oh fuck you, you’re not my brother,” Klaus sneered, yanking harder, “you won’t trade me for him? _That’s crazy!_ ”

”You’re my brother too, no I won’t trade you. That only confirms my suspicions that trying to bring him back has a high possibility in killing you. I talked to Your Dave about it, the comas and the energy blasts. I won’t do it, Klaus,” 

“You are not _my_ brother!”

”He doesn't mean that,” Ben mumbled, shaking his head, “Klaus, let it go man,”

”Let it go? This is _Diego_ we’re talking about!” Klaus yelled, moving as close to Ben as he could, “in all of those years I never truly lost contact with him, and what? You want to let me let him stay dead? Repeat that again and I’ll stop being your brother too!”

”Klaus, I dug my grave now I have to live in it,” Diego muttered, “you never asked what I want,”

”Who _wants_ to stay dead?” Klaus laughed, 

“Not me,” Diego agreed, “but it’s better than you or Vanya being dead,”

”Okay, Okay, this is crazy guys,” Klaus laughed nervously, “Luther -hey Luther, look at me Okay look. I can do this,” Klaus never sounded more sure about anything in his life before, “please please please let me try, you guys can risk your lives for each other but I can’t?”

”Okay,” Luther said, “we’ll assess next month, Okay? Promise. But if you do it now you’ll die. I don’t think your Dave wants that,”

”don't use him against me,” Klaus whispered, “are you saying you wouldn’t do this for Allison? You have to understand me, Luther. You have to let me trade,” 

“There’s no need to Klaus, not if we could have both of you, just at a later date,” Luther said, at that moment this was a familiar sight for every party involved. Every time Klaus was going sober he acted this way, the beginning the change from hate to pleading and whispering, the anger and the defeat and the hope. Klaus’s body hurt like he was going through withdrawal again.

”I don’t want the dead to come and scratch your eyes out, but don’t test me, Luther,” Klaus Warned,

”You die, leave the gate open, they swarm. You’ll put Vanya, me, Allison, Five, Mom and Pogo in danger. And Dave, would you forgive yourself if you traded _all_ of us?” Somehow Luther was shocked he was getting through to Klaus, who flopped against the wall, every drip of energy leaving his body. "You're going to sit there until I can trust you,"

"Better get me some wool and knitting needles then, I'm going to be here awhile," Though Ben couldn't argue that fact he still smacked Klaus around the head, "keep your pale ghostly hands to yourself, Ben!" 

"How you doing?" Luther asked, looking at the thick bandage wrapped around Klaus's neck, 

"Pain is there," Klaus drawled, "but I very much doubt you have anything to help with that. I don't mind the other ouchies, rather the pleasant rush of endorphins in my body right now,"

"Can I see?" Klaus looked away, crossing his arms and Luther clenched his teeth, "stop being a baby. You don't see us all acting like this, Klaus. At least  _you_ can see him,"

"Could bring him back as well but  _nooo_ ," Klaus complained, " _what do you want from me?_ " 

"I want you to stop," Luther said, and Klaus leaned against the wall, closing his eyes with a huff of breath. "I just wish for once we wouldn't have to worry about you running around doing something dumb, getting yourself hurt in your typical self-destructive way. We were meant to have fixed that,"

"Yeahhh, bro... You tried, see, going back in time may have technically stopped the apocalypse but, it didn't fix Vanya's deep betrayal she felt, it didn't erase the memories of Ben dying, it didn't get rid of Dad's abuse, it didn't prevent me from having each and every memory _I already had_. You all started to  _care_ more or whatever and as sweet as it is, I'm not someone you can save so you should give it up already,"

"I refuse to stop trying," Luther argued, "We've already lost so much. Dad, Ben, Five... _twice_ and now Diego. You want to keep adding to that list? our sisters need us Klaus, it's time to stop acting like a child and step up, you have to be here to help and support us, you really want me to do it alone? don't I deserve to grieve as well but I can't do that if I'm doing  _all_ of the work!"

"Okay!" Klaus burst out, "leave me alone," he pressed his fists to his eyes and listened as Luther stomped off, "I hate myself, ugh," he groaned, 

"I'm sure after you've had a few days to think, and rest, you'll have your head back on straight," Diego pointed out, "hey, there's your Dave," whereas before Klaus would have tried to jump up and run to him, Klaus yanked violently at the handcuff and resulted to tucking his legs up and turning his back on Dave. "I can't spend eternity glued to him, his stupidity enrages me," he told Ben.

"Yeah every day is a challenge," Ben agreed,

"Klaus - I'm so sorry about your brother," Dave sounded like he had ran a marathon, face twisted in serious worry. “Are you Okay? Are you hurt?”

”If one more person asks me that I’m going to explode,” Klaus said, 

“Klaus, would you look at me?”

”I don’t want to,”

”You bastard,” Diego snapped, “You’re still planning on doing it aren’t you? You can’t kill yourself if you face him, am I right? If you kill yourself I’m going to beat the absolute shit out of you... shit, Ben how do we warn them?”

”Welcome to the land of the dead. We can’t.” Ben sighed, “best we can is try to talk him out of it, or If we catch him off guard and manage a punch,” 

“Right, Okay, Klaus look at me. I dont fucking want this,” Diego crouched in front of him, Klaus unable to escape for fear of seeing Dave. “I want you here, alive and happy. I wouldn’t be happy or able to live knowing you killed yourself for me. If you really want to try next month then that’s fine,”

”Klaus,” Dave stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You know what I think? I think your brothers are proud of you. Diego and - Five, was it? You all fought together and you _won_. All war has casualties we know that better than anyone. I think even your father is proud, you finally all came together, worked as a team,”

”But he’ll never get to live his life. I know Ben, I know how he feels about being dead and Diego... and _Five_ ,” Klaus breathed in deeply, shaking his head, “did Luther get you?”

”No, but he did warn me. Klaus, you know you don’t have enough of your power left to bring him back. You might even fail, and then you’ll be dead and they’ll be no way to _ever_ bring _any_ of you back. But you can practise, and anchor yourself. Get better and then I’ll sit with you as you do it, And look after your comatose body. Your sisters and brother just lost two siblings, they won’t be able to survive another loss so soon,”

”I hate you...no, I don’t. I’m sorry,” Klaus groaned, 

“Klaus. Promise me you won’t try until next month,” at the stretch of silence Dave grabbed Klaus and spun him around, tangling the cuff. “Promise me to my face,” Speaking the words was like dragging a knife down his body, Klaus was in so much pain, just the thought caused his heart to throb. He squeezed his eyes shut, “We’re meant to Be in this for the long haul. _Klaus_. Your sisters, your brother, the two kids you agreed to adopt. _Klaus,_ me. Open your eyes,” and as Klaus did Dave grasped his face, “promise me,” because Klaus would never break Dave’s trust like that.

”I promise,” he finally said. 


	22. The Caged Séance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family discuss their trust in Klaus.

**Number Four / Klaus**

”What’s like the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen?” Klaus asked, 

“My own autopsy,”

”Oh that’ll do it,” Klaus hummed, “what’s the weirdest case you’ve worked on?”

”Guy murdered another guy who wore those fur suits to promote products. Was weird turning up on the scene and seeing that,” Klaus hummed to himself and collapsed back onto the bed, “Lad, shouldn’t you be in a mental hospital anyway?”

“Everyone thinks it’s less likely I’ll escape a cage,” Klaus drawled, “plus everyone on the force are making it their mission to  _protect Diego Hargreeves brother from himself!_ Or something like that,” he shrugged, “they’ll keep me in here until My break down is over,”

”hm, Diego,” the man sighed, “hated that kid, no offence. Still a loss to the force but he made my job when I was chief very difficult with his antics. Where is he?”

”Him and Ben are snooping on the family, or more like just keeping up to date with them-“

”Tuna and sweet corn, your ma said she’d bake you something sweet to eat too,” Dave’s voice sent just a slight rise of happiness shooting through Klaus’s chest. “How was your night?” He gripped Klaus’s hands that were tightened around the bars,

”Claustrophobic,” he admitted, “could you get me out of here?” He whispered, earning himself a very disapproving look from Dave, “No - I just I feel...suffocated. I want to go home and lay in a bath, rather than scrub dirt and blood off of me in the shower room,”

”I’m stuck, Klaus,” Dave admitted, “I knew you, I know Klaus Hargreeves but your siblings tell me about a different man, who doesn’t keep promises, whose so self destructive... they’re your family, who am I to say I know you better?”

”You do know me better,” Klaus said, “I’m a liar and I break promises and I steal from the ones I love. But I don’t ever want you to look at me like how they have looked at me for the majority of my life, I wouldn’t break my promise,”

”What about your sobriety?”

”You too?” Klaus complained, “you can’t judge me-“

”I’m not,” Dave said, “you think I don’t drink and even take something once in awhile when the occasion rises? I understand. You’re doing so good sober, but fuck I wouldn’t hold it against you if you relapsed. I’ll see if I can talk your family into letting you out,”

”How’s that going?” Klaus snorted, “they crumbling yet?”

”They’re a mess,” Dave confirmed, “the babies aren’t making matters easier. And obviously um... you don’t have a house anymore. So Luther and Allison are staying with Vanya, and they’re getting the house rebuilt. They’re not really a team anymore,”

”Never were,” Klaus shook his head, pressing his face to the cold bars, Dave didn’t talk he just squeezed their hands together and followed Klaus to the ground as he slowly sunk down the bars. “Second time around we’d all agreed that we would try to stay on as The Umbrella Academy. Making our own choice to Be a team, not just following dads bullshit...” he trailed off, “was my fault, really,”

”Your fault?”

”That we fell apart again. A lot of things changed, we got closer, but in the end everything just reset. Dad died again, Five went missing again, Ben died. Everything was just happening again and I left. Even as a team we failed Ben, because we still argued, we were still selfish sometimes, we still let Dad get away with things...”

”Maybe this is your chance, Klaus. The chance to stick around this time, despite the hardships. Actually be a team and a family this time,” Klaus didn’t reply, he kept his head on those bars and his knees tucked up.

”What about if we can’t stop it?” Klaus asked, “like, what about if you die, and Pogo and Mom die, and then Vanya ends the world,”

”Then there’s nothing to Be done,” Dave said, “but you should be there with your family-“

”I get the feeling I’m not that wanted,” Klaus snorted, “It’s not like I’ve lost him I can see him or whatever... that’s what they all said about Ben,”

”Well, There’s always going to be this brooding reminder of you watching him die every time he appears. The cold feeling right?” And Klaus nodded, “you can’t talk to him in public, you only ever see him at the age he died and never older, he sees every bad moment in your life and you see his pain right back. Can’t really feel each other that well. Doesn’t sound that fun to me...” he shrugged, 

 

**Number Seven / Vanya**

As crushing as the suffering Vanya felt, and the guilt threatening to choke her Alive, she made it through the family meeting. Luther started off with a discussion on how many were expected to have survived and gotten away from the fight, and next allowed Vanya and Allison To bring up any worries, and it was obvious their minds were on Klaus only.

”Right, but he’s not a member, he’s not family, he’s known Klaus for all of a year and what? You want to just release him?” Luther asked, Vanya and Allison were sat on the sofa, and Dave as stood beside Luther, hands tucked behind his back. “He’ll hurt himself,”

”I trust that I’ve talked him out of it,” Dave said,

”You think that, he’s a great actor actually, but then at the last second...” Allison shook her head, “He’s devious. He’s good at pretending. Do I want another situation like the box with Vanya?” She asked, and Luther looked away, “I wish I could trust him, Dave, but Klaus is... willing to lose your trust to get what he wants,”

”It’s a noble sacrifice this time, something only he can do,” Luther warned, “he’ll be twice as determined to get away with it,”

”Hold me accountable if that happens,” Dave raised his chin and stared into Luther’s eyes, “I know when he’s lying or planning something. He understands at this stage the only thing he’ll do is kill himself, and not even bring your brother back. I trust him,”

”We should Vote,” Vanya said,

”Three votes,” Luther sighed, “no offence,” And he aimed this comment at Dave. “In my opinion Five would vote to keep him locked up, but I won’t speak for him. I think it goes without saying Diego and Ben would probably agree,”

”Well it’s just us,” Allison said, 

“He never tried to hide his bad traits,” Dave pointed out, “he never made out like he didn’t lie or steal. He doesn’t like the small space of the jail cell, the cold, the amount of ghosts, he wants to come home where his family is, where it’s warm, and where he can take a hot bath and listen to his music,” 

“I’m with Dave on this,” Vanya shook her head, “I’m going to trust Klaus... he trusted me when I was locked up, he voted me to be released, I need to give him the benefit of the doubt,”

”Fair enough. Allison?”

”I know we’re all... tired of trusting Klaus for him to break that trust, but we... we should try to sympathise...the whole family should be here, Luther. And we can’t expect Klaus to bring him back,”

”Why couldn’t he?” Vanya frowned, 

“He nearly died the last time,” Dave sighed, “He’s so weak physically and mentally that I worry he’ll never get to that point again,”

”Oh...” Vanya whispered, “I just can’t believe he’s Gone. Out of everybody I never thought Diego-“ she shook her head and stood up, “I’m going to make a cup of a tea, who wants one?”

”So where’s the kids staying?” Dave asked,  

“Mom, Pogo, and the babies are in a rented flat. I never believed Diego when he said Mom could feel things,” Allison said, “but she seemed truly... she was hopeful for Five, that he’d wake up eventually,” Allison shook her head, taking the cup of tea from Vanya, who handed out the rest one by one. “I can’t imagine Dad purposely coding a feature that has her worrying too much about us, maybe it’s a bug, or it’s someone else’s doing, or it’s robot evolution, whatever caused it she’s hurting,”

”And Klaus mentioned she was _man made robotic_ what’s that entail exactly?” Dave questioned,

”Well, she’s made of parts. Like a gun, or a lightbulb, or a house. Just bits stuck together with some energy flowing through it,” Vanya said, “Dad was...an inventor,” she mumbled into her cup,

”so, Diego said you _served_ with Klaus,” Luther said,

”A-Shu Valley, Vietnam. 10 months,” Dave hummed, “Front Line,”

”What was he like when he was there?” He squinted, “he did seem off And different when he got back, but I didn’t notice that much of a change. Aside from the nightmares getting even worse, he’s the Same old,”

”Defense mechanism,” Dave shrugged, “did it a lot in the Valley. Got hit a fair few times for acting happy, or cracking jokes, after a death. Boys learned that was how he coped after awhile, always trying to distance himself from it. _That there is a lad that’s seen more death than we have_ , Kernel said to us,” 

“I can’t imagine,” Vanya shook her head, “Klaus -the same Klaus who held a gun upside down during training, and nearly hit us. How’d he get back?”

”Dont know the details, Hun. Just know he popped out of nowhere and wouldn’t let this stupid Briefcase out of his sight, guessing that’s how the crazy bastard done it,” Dave smiled, “it wasn’t a tough choice to stick around, saw that in his eyes the third night he was here. Two nights I waited for this stupid new kid to become a Deserter, he had that look,”

”He stayed willingly,” Vanya breathed, 

“Boys liked him, interested in him, listened a lot. Talked, after awhile felt like home, I suppose,” Dave shrugged, “the real killer was obviously...”

”The crush,” Allison shook her head, “You were nice and he fell,” 

“No...” Dave hurried his face into the cup, gulping the hot tea.

”you mean you got a crush on him first, then,” Allison said, with a smile. “And Klaus got wise to it,”

”Hard not to,” Dave muttered, he didn’t feel all too comfortable talking about it. But the memory made him want to smile, and his chest felt lighter than it had in weeks. Yeah, Klaus definitely caught Dave’s crush when Dave said some cheesy long line in that club, Klaus had been feeling drunk yet moody and self-hating, and Dave wouldn’t stand for it.

Before he knew it like a fair lady, or poet, he’d spilled the best things about Klaus to Klaus. Touching his face really sealed the deal. Hard not to click onto to someone’s interest if their lips are on yours, too. “You really think he means it, Dave?” Vanya whispered,

”If there was someone else with his ability, he would have tried it risk be damned. But there’s not, if he was to die before he could fully bring back Diego, Diego would stay dead forever,” Dave said, “we served together. Klaus’s knows about risk management, probability during missions, when to go after someone and when to hope they get a swift death by their captors. The war was one big giant chess board, and we all learned to play,”

”You’re saying he can use probability to measure whether the risk is worth it?” Luther questioned, “he immediately tried,”

”Yeah well, he panicked. He just watched his brother die,” Dave argued, “plenty of times the idiot went in head first, but he learned to bury those emotions in times where he needed a clear head. But figuring out whether or not to let your friend or neighbour die is different to allowing your brother to Die. Seems harsh, I know, but you learn to disconnect your feelings,”

”I mean didn’t we freak the first time we hurt someone? But eventually it was a game to us? We became desensitised to it all and suddenly we had seen it so many times it didn’t bother us?” Allison pointedly out, “we just lost Diego and Five. I want my brother back with us, Luther,”

”Done,” Luther said, “we voted fair And square. But I don’t want him left alone.”


	23. The Numb Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family discusses The Umbrella Academy.

**Number Three, Allison**

Vanya wanted to play something for Diego, a sort of way for her to speak her own language and feel her own grief. And Allison sat with her whilst she did so. Even with the idea that Klaus could potentionally bring back Diego, they still wanted a funereal. By need next week they’d be burying yet another brother. 

“What?” Allison asked, Vanya had stopped playing mid note, violin screeching as she leaned forward, staring over Allison’s shoulder, “Christ, don’t tell me-“

”He didn’t try to bring Diego back, We would have saw something,” Dave was drenched in sweat, hands curled underneath Klaus’s armpits, “just a relapse,”

”He was doing so well,” Vanya whispered to herself, “Um- here, just put him on the Sofa,” she hastily stood up so Dave could toss Klaus down, whose eyes rolled around in his head and mumbled. 

“Maybe he’d still be sober if we had just left him in there,” suffice to say Allison felt extremely guilty, this tight pressure squeezing her heart. 

“Maybe not,” Dave pointed out, “he was always gonna do this,” Dave seemed familiar and wise to it all, as if he’d grown up with Klaus just as they had. 

“Guess that just leaves us,” Allison thought it was almost selfish, to be so disappointed in Klaus. “Luther and I have this Vanya, you don’t have to stick around to help with the new house,”

”Are you kidding,” she smiled shakily, “I couldn’t even think about going off and playing violin professionally,” Throwing themselves into work, it was what Allison always did to escapeme, too busy thinking, too busy working, nothing else existed. Maybe her and Klaus weren’t so different after all. “Feels like we’re not moving in any direction doesn’t it?” 

“Well, we need to fix the house-“

”But why?” Vanya asked, “to live there as a family? For just something to do? We’re just walking around always waiting for the next attack, waiting for Five to wake up,” she clutched her chest and shook her head, “I don’t want to drift again!”

”You... so what, you want us to...” Allison trailed off, crazy talk it was. “To confirm The Umbrella Academy officially back together?”

”What’s left of it,” Vanya nodded, “we train the kids - not as a group of superheroes, but just to control their powers. We get a bigger grip on me, we try to support Klaus,” she listed off, “No matter what you pick, I’m...I’m staying here, Allison,” 

“You mean with Luther, right?” Allison pressed the back of her hand To her mouth, “I act for a living now, Vanya,” 

“Are you happy?” She questioned, and Allison smiled, huffing in amusement to herself. “Think it over. I couldn’t begin to guess Klaus’s answer, but I want to stick around. I want to be here to help people,”

”it’s a lot to drop on me,” Allison huffed, “I have to think it over,”

”Thank You,” Vanya nodded, “I think when Five wakes up he’ll probably stay too,” if Diego were here he would have said _if if if_ Five wakes up. _When when when_ Allison chanted in her head.

Hours later Allison was sitting on the blowup mattress in the living room, and despite Dave having booked himself a hotel, he didn’t leave whilst Klaus was in this sort of state, “Hello brother of mine,” Allison greeted, it wasn’t the most pleasant good afternoon, having to shove a bucket under your brother’s chin. “Listening to me?” Klaus groaned weakly, “Can you stay sober for just a little while?” 

“Why would I do a stupid thing like that?” He grinned weakly, 

“I wanted you to ask Diego if he wants to be buried or cremated. They have his body,” Allison said, “what happens to the body when you bring them back, anyway?”

”Since I materialise the soul, the body sticks around probably,” Klaus mumbled, “Where’s Dave?”

”Shower,” Allison shrugged, “he dragged you back here, he’s a good one,”

”Certainly no Leonard,” Klaus smiled, 

“I know I shouldn’t ask you this but I’m drowning Klaus, How is he?” Klaus looked away, pushing the bucket away from himself. 

“Fine,” Klaus said, “Same old Diego. Dying hasn’t changed much, still has an attitude, yaps away. At least Ben has the company and they can touch,” it made feel Allison a million times better to hear that, she closed her eyes to imagine it, Ben and Diego’s equal excitement and devastation at the weeks events. 

“Vanya wants to get The Umbrella Academy back up. She’s going to team up with Luther,” 

“Oh joy,” Klaus gestured, turning his pointer finger around In circles with a grin, “superhero’s, yay. As if us getting involved in trouble hasn’t killed enough of us. Five, Diego and Ben. Technically all gone. All because they were fighting for the good of the world or something,”

”We never started those fights,” Allison said, “Diego wouldn’t let Leonard -Any version of him- try to take advantage of his family. He kept Vanya safe until the end. He died a hero’s death,”

”He died,” Klaus deadpanned, “Ben violently murdered, Diego stuck like a pig And bleeding to death, and Five having his head smashed to pieces. I wonder if they agree with the sentiment, like it was all worth it in the end,” he snorted, “Luther and Vanya will get torn to shreds eventually. There’s only so long until you’re luck runs out,”

”You think we should abandon them?” Allison mumbled, 

“I’ll stick around to help them save the day or whatever. You take the risk if you want,” Klaus said, “As long as Dave sticks around anyway... But I’m sure he’ll get it,”

”Get it?” Allison questioned, “you just said you’ll eventually die a horrible death, why stick around at all?”

and Klaus simply replied, ” _To save the world, of course,”_ The world being, of course, his family.


	24. The Show Continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world is fretting over the death of Diego, and the condition of Five. And Vanya meets a stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Plot Thickens and I bring in some of the story from the comics.

**Number One/ Luther**

”Half an hour and he managed to sneak away,” Luther sighed, shaking his head. “I gave you one job,”

”He was out the bathroom window instantly, Luther,” Allison said, “we can’t exactly force him-“

”Yes we can,” Luther whispered to her, “Just think-“

”Luther, no,” Allison said through gritted teeth, “I will never rumour one of us ever again. I can’t even if he wants me to, it feels so wrong and violating...”

”I just want him sober, and I don’t want him to get himself killed,”

”I know, Spaceboy,” she smiled, “but one thing I’m realising is that I can’t make him feel things that don’t exist,” they sat together, in total silence staring at the little paper awards stuck up on Vanya’s wall. “No sacrifice is too great to save someone’s life,” 

“Dad,” Luther mumbled, “first mission we ever went on. The Eiffel Tower. I never forgot those words, I think all of us internalised them forever,” Luther, more than most. No matter how much the person would hate him, if it saved their life for definite it was worth it, even if there was another solution which had a smaller probability at working. Luther was very much a ‘Sacrifice one to save two’ type of man. Just like their father.

”Klaus said something earlier, something surprisingly wise for his state of mind. Luther, is this all just a means to an end? Is The Umbrella Academy a never-ending suicide mission, until we all fizzle out?” She frowned, “our lives are a mission, not a... life. We’re just waiting around to die,”

”Better me than them,” Luther shrugged, “I’ll trade my life for someone else’s,”

”You don’t want to...” She trailed off, “live a normal life? Be a permanent uncle to Claire. Be a supportive brother for Vanya. Get married and have a family and walk Klaus at his wedding if he ever gets there,” she smiled. 

“I’ll do all of those things dead if I have to,” Luther said, “Dead but never gone, Klaus knows that. I don’t have a wife or a daughter, I’m not a violinist or a cop. I don’t have an out, Allison. All I have is this,” 

“You could find an out,” 

“I think this is me. I think this is what I do want to do, not because Dad raised me like this. Just know a problem is always going to happen after a problem, you may think you’re here for when what’s left of Harold Jenkin’s army is taken out. But something will come after, it always does. You should get out now, we can take them,” though Luther would feel like he’d been stabbed, he vowed to still visit. Remembering Claire’s excited face when she saw him for the first time.

”I can’t even try for custody even if I join you. I will be putting my life in danger every single day and risk Claire growing up without me,” Allison said, “I have to have more time to think about it, Luther,”

"I'm not asking you to join, or whether you want to. I'm asking you to ask yourself,"

 

**Number Two/ Diego**

"Well, we can't see him so that's good," Ben said to Klaus, his eyes were bloodshot, hair messier than he'd seen it in a very long time. "He's not dead," 

"He wasn't dead when he disappeared the first time. Still gone," Klaus pointed out, through everything they had been through with Five, this was the worst anybody had seen him. Head wrapped like a mummy, face swollen, wrist broken.

"The hell happened?" Diego demanded, gritting his teeth over the sight. "They knew they were murdering a child, maybe he isn't mentally but they didn't know that. I'm going to kill every one of them,"

"Yeah? calm down, John Wick. You're dead," Klaus said, "You can't exactly butcher anyone at the moment," he leaned his head down, folding his hands over his eyes. All the telltale signs of Klaus being overwhelmed and stressed, hunched shoulders, pale face, that stupid little rubbing motion he did over his eyes. "I should lock myself back up,"

"No way," Ben scoffed, "you don't exactly have the best memories of that place,"

"What're you talking about? the coma ward was a riot," Klaus smiled weakly, it was clear to all in the room, Klaus was getting tired of being around people - suffocating in this forced sociability. He wished he could just stay in the bath forever, music blasting him deaf, and the outside world locked out. 

"Ever thought about a hobby that doesn't include Oxy?" Diego deadpanned, "or pity parties,"

"Ah, parties," Klaus sighed, closing his eyes, "partying," 

"Klaus, I mean it," Diego reached out, to do something, pull his hair, slap him on the back hard, but his hand passed through and he gritted his teeth, pushing back the rising anxiety and anger and helplessness. "You liked to draw once upon a time, sort of. Make yourself something to wear," Klaus hummed and Diego nodded, "Yeah, make yourself an outfit. Buy a sawing machine,"

"Wise words from a wise corpse," Klaus hummed, and Diego tried to hit him again and failed. 

"Klaus, come on man he just..." Ben trailed off awkwardly, "little soon don't you think?" but they all understood Klaus gravitated towards jokes - cruel jokes, to cope. But he nodded anyway and smiled at Diego, an apology of sorts. "You could ask Pogo for your allowance back, buy some fabric, a machine, something fluffy and cool,"

"Fine - fine," Klaus waved his hand and they both shut up, "I know what I want to do!" he leapt up, making both of the brothers flinch as he raised out of the room, both thinking  _hopefully not drugs or drink_. "Come - Soldier, we have a mission to go on," he yelled to Dave, attracting several patients eyes to look at them, he ran straight past Dave who'd been waiting outside of the room and Dave had to jog to keep up. Though that didn't last very long, Diego started to mock and laugh as Klaus stopped running, gripping his chest with a wheeze.

"You good?" Dave frowned, Klaus nodded, hands gripping his knees, "what did you have in mind?"

 

**Number Seven, Vanya**

One of the things suggested in group was to think of the most pathetic parts of her siblings - turn that  _they're so much better than me, their jobs and lives are so more interesting_ , to stop putting them on a pedestal. Luther was a reject of a son, just like all of them. Allison struggled just as much as Vanya to fall in love and was getting divorced, Diego was-Diego  _had_ been living a lie, a boring life he tried to play off as  _the greater good_ , but really he had failed relationships and hollow life. 

Really, she realized, her siblings weren't better than her just because their father had claimed them to be. Really, they all felt as worthless as each other, all living meaningless lives and though it shouldn't have, it made her feel a little better. And she walked the shop, picking up various pieces of clothing. There was no way Vanya would wear what she wore to her father's funeral for Diego's. She didn't want anything to be similar between the two. Different flowers, different clothes, different place. 

He wanted to be buried according to Klaus  _I'm not being ash_ he'd said, making Vanya's heart clench at the thought of Ben. That was when they all collectively decided they wanted to be buried when they died. And even if Diego came back, they all wanted that plot of land. They wanted that gravestone to remind them. Vanya had asked Allison before she left if Allison would help pay to get Ben a headstone as well, and if they could buy a plot of land specifically for The Hargreeve children. 

Of course, she would. For the first time In at least 20 years, Vanya bought a long skirt. She'd much prefer something button-up but she wouldn't copy her outfit from Dad's funeral. Never. She'd gotten a few stares when buying the clothes, it wasn't hard to guess she was buying clothes for a funeral since she was wearing her yellow button-up shirt and black trousers. It didn't exactly scream  _I'm just a gothic girl, buying gothic clothes._ And it didn't help that it was constantly broadcast across the news.

 _Allison's Hargreeves brother - murdered. The Umbrella Academy suffers yet another loss!  Number Five brutally attacked after returning from being missing for several years. One has been killed and another in critical condition after this brutal attack on the Umbr-_  Vanya's head spun with it all. Every news article and the constant TV's blasting no matter where she went, reminding her, reminding her, reminding her. Bringing attention to them all.

There were a few disturbing articles and news reports. When Vanya entered Five's favourite cafe to order a coffee and brood, the bag of funeral clothes on her lap, she had to deal with that TV.  _The first appearance of Number Four after brother's murder_ and it was terrible to look up and see Klaus when he was at the club  _could this be the year they lose yet another sibling? Klaus Hargreeves has a long past with drug abuse and suicide attempts-_ and she took out her phone, plugging in her headphones and stuffing them in her ears. 

She couldn't help glancing up every once in a while, they had moved onto Allison, they'd snapped photos of her holding a bundle of flowers Vanya had asked her to get this afternoon. Giant sunflowers and per request Lillies - which were Eudora Patch's favourite flower. She looked down into her cup, looking at the dark liquid and sipped it, revealing in the heat that burned her tongue. Then she jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder, "Excuse me?" and Vanya glanced up, "Are you Vanya Hargreeves?" and when she nodded the man hastily sat down and she pulled out her headphones. "I'm sorry for your losses,"

"Thank you..." she trailed off awkwardly, 

"Oh, sorry, um, I'm - well, my name is dumb you get it. You can call me Lewis," he wiped off his hand and held it out, and she hesitantly took it. "I was at the attack," an onlooker, she supposed, until he corrected himself. "I mean I was  _at_ the attack," and had she had her violin on her, she would have lashed out without a second of hesitation. Instead, she abruptly stood up and he grabbed her wrist.

"Do you really think this is a fight you can win?" she hissed, "you fucked up coming after me,"

"I'm not trying to hurt you," the man hissed back, "Listen, my brother planned that attack and he's still out there-"

"Who?  _Leonard?_ " she exclaimed,

"what? No. He was just like... the leader of the army - so-to-speak. Not the actual leader. My brother Icarus trained him, showed him how to make that formula that makes your powers stronger, more violent, less predictable. He has a similar ability to you but it specifically has to do with music...or better yet certain frequencies that can kill when he harnesses them. And there's-"

"Why are you telling me this?" Vanya demanded, "why me, why now, why go against your own brother? why should I  _trust you?_ " 

"What other options do you have?" he asked, "If I approached any of your other siblings they'd kill me or they wouldn't believe me,"  _Allison would have_ , she thought to herself. Wait.  _Allison_. And she began to call her sister, "what are you doing?"

"My sister will make you tell the truth," Vanya said, "last chance to escape with your life," and the man defiantly held his head up.

 

**Icarus**

_Oh, Vanya how we had come so close, you and I, to destroying this world. Harold Jenkins, you failed me more than once but I suppose it's a good thing you are dust now. Two out of Six, how disappointing._ Icarus smiled at his orchestra, humming along to their various violent noises that shook the room and broke the windows and when the piano hit that high note he felt the wave of the high-frequency coursing through his bones, and he held up his white-gloved hands and every single candle blew out one by one and everything glass shattered into a million pieces. 

_I want the destruction and the pain and the coursing high pitched frequencies of the world collectively screaming and crying._

**_I want my Apocalypse._ **


	25. The Crazy Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family discuss how to defend themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Non-Comic book readers; Icarus is sort of the Leonard of the comics. He is the one that turns Vanya evil. Lewis doesn’t exist, but I took inspiration from the Greek Mythology (Lupis being Icarus’s brother, which is why I called him Lewis) 😘

**Number Four/ Klaus**

”Diego asks if you’re going to sex my sister,” Klaus, ever the octopus, couldn’t be more tangled around Dave - trying to show him how to paint nails.

“What’re you, Seven?” Ben snorted,

”Number Four, actually,” Klaus grinned, “What’re you doing?” Dave was trying to sweep at Klaus’s thumb nail with a white polish,

”Making a ghost,” and Diego pretended to vomit, “are you going to defile Klaus’s sister then?” He smiled, Lewis shook his head quickly, looking from Dave to Vanya and then at Klaus who grinned like a shark. 

“I never really understood Icarus,” He admitted, “his obsession with music is -suffice to say- very Phantom Of The Opera,” he winced, “and I’m one of the unfortunate souls stuck On this death rock. Though he wouldn’t kill me, I rather like things such as movies, music, talking,”

”And we like being alive! - well, some of us,” Klaus snorted, “Good gravestone, Soldier,” And Dave shook his head, “Diego stop with your gagging, your dead you don’t- do you think ghosts have gag reflexes? Aw man, guess what I’m trying when God finally let’s me in,”

”So that’s your power then?” Lewis asked, “Everyone else read your book, Vanya. I didn’t, no offence. I like to defy Icarus as much as possible,” ah, the annoying younger sibling. Klaus could relate... sort of. “Um... Ghosts, uh sound... knives,” he listed off on one hand, 

“Strength, tentacles, control, time travel,” Klaus beamed, “well, that’s a overview. We have plenty of extra little Tibet’s that you aren’t allowed to know,” he tapped his nose twice, “guess what’s I did today, Van,” 

“Klaus, shouldn’t we get your other siblings and tell them about this man?” Dave frowned,

”Allison’s on her way, no doubt she’ll be dragging Luther,” Klaus waved his hand and sat up, “Five’s going to Piss himself, but I gave Dolores a little makeover,” he smirked, “bit of makeup, snatched hair, clothes on fleek,” and Diego groaned loudly and dropped beside Klaus, “hey watch it!” He elbowed at the air. 

“Did your...” Vanya trailed off, she glanced at the stranger and Klaus nodded. _Did the drugs erase everything? Are your powers once again royally fucked up?_

The next five minutes Dave finished the nails, a little tombstone, a ghost, a planchet, and so many cute little things that had Klaus grabbing his face and kissing his jaw. Until Luther burst into the room and went right for the man, Klaus sat up mouth dropping open as Luther smashed the man into the wall, denting it. “Woohoo!” Klaus cheered, clapping his hands. “Destroy the apartment!” 

“Hey! I heard a rumour you stopped fighting this instant!” And like a wall had been placed between them, he stepped back. “He seemed legit on the phone, Luther,” 

“They would have planned for you to ask him questions,” Luther warned, “There’s ways to get around everyone’s powers. The timing is too perfect, the motive too perfect. I’m not letting him hurt any more of us,”

”If you idiots want to refuse insider intel, then be My guest,” he held up his hands and Klaus sat forward, locked on the scene unfolding in front of him. He wished he had popcorn for this drama. “I want him gone,”

”ah, a good old Cain-Abel sit,” Klaus beamed, “just hit him with a rock,” and he went ignored, which was fine because he was getting bored anyway. “Can you believe it’s been like two or three months since I defiled you, tragic, illegal, will not do,” he sighed. “I need a vacation so bad,”

”It’s like when we arrived at the Southern campsite and they thought you were so distracting that they banned you from being lookout with anyone else,” Dave hummed, “never got a moment alone,” Klaus was almost embarrassed to remember specifically trying every bit of Dave’s food so he could steal his spoon and forks. Back then the closest thing to action they got, guns and shared food. 

“Remember when you broke my nose?” Klaus laughed loudly, startling the others away from their conversation with the stranger, Diego didn’t look happy with that bit of information at all. “No - no it was so funny. Here’s me, lime in my mouth, on every drug I could find, we’re both drunk as hell and high as hell, so when we tried to kiss -BAM, forehead to nose,”

”You broke Ron’s nose on purpose,” Dave pointed out, Ron was going to go running in, guns blazing, after a friend who was done for, people tried dragging him back, but to not avail. Until Klaus panicked and punched him as hard as possible, 

“He actually socked me right in the eye a few weeks ago, but obviously didn’t know it was me, he’s an old fart. Well, that’s karma,” 

“I’m sorry, we’re talking about someone trying to kickstart the apocalypse again and we don’t have Five’s time travelling ability anymore,” Luther snapped, “this Is our one and only chance, so pay attention for once in your fucking life, Klaus. Unless you want every baby to die, unless you want your Dave to die,”

”Okay -Okay!” Klaus waved his Arms, “it’s not like we even have a plan,”

”I have the most insane plan ever,” Luther said, which said quite a bit. Considering Luther would never go into a mission so crazy. “First we need to start with Vanya taking down some notes for me, and I’m going to ask you a few questions,”

”Me? Me-Me?” Klaus pointed to himself, “Okay my little interviewer,”

”I want to know the _exact_ moment you realised your powers went haywire. Vanya got the notebook?” She went rifling through a random drawer until she pulled out a little notebook, As she flicked the pages Klaus spotted some musical notes. 

“Okay?? Well, shortly after Dave died you found out about Dad’s magic power of lying and manipulation,” he snorted, “you decided to get drunk as hell and high as hell. I followed you to try to protect you because I’m dumb-“

”At least you finally admitted it,” Diego interjected, And Klaus hissed at him.

”The music was really loud, set off some of my more Fond memories of’ Nam. I start seeing things and Dave’s body. In the original time line I died-“

”You What?” Allison frowned,

”I died. Keep up. IN this one I got outside with you, and Dave kept following me but it wasn’t his ghost, I could tell. I was still in the moment, bullets flying, explosions above, I’m like _aaaaa_ then when I next see Dave’s body I just wanted him to not be dead,”

”and then poof? He’s alive. Is that when you felt your powers changing?”

”Hm...” he trailed off, 

“Fear,” Ben suggested, and Klaus looked up at him, “isn’t that how Vanya found her power, and then when she hurt Allison it got stronger and uncontrollable,” _a mixture of absolute terror and protectiveness._

“I love your brains, bro,” Klaus sighed happily, holding up his knuckles, Ben tried to bump them but he went through. “Anyway, Benny suggests it was triggered by an intense fear. A really specific fear. When Ben died it didn’t effect my powers because I was high,”

”But you were sober at the club,” Luther said, and Klaus nodded.

”that’s how Vanya got hers. From intense fear -specifically for somebody else,” 

“I was scared you were going to say that,” Luther admitted, 

“Luther, What’s this about?” Allison demanded, and quite frankly Klaus had thought he was the only one out of the loop.

”I want to...” Luther trailed off, looking away, “I want to trigger that, the intense terror, so we can get stronger,” everyone went silent, they could all agree at once that it was the only way, and the worst thing that they could do. “I think it has to be more direct and intense, finding Allison hurt didn’t work,”

”I think shock comes into play,” Vanya whispered, “does this mean Klaus and I have to...do something to you?” Allison and Luther looked at each other and Klaus squirmed Into Dave’s chest nervously. “It would have to be really bad, I don’t want to do that-“

”It’s the only way. We’re not strong enough. Look at us, no Five, No Six... no two,” Luther shook his head, “Klaus is back to being a broken Junkie with powers that barely work. You barely have a grip on your own Vanya. Allison is scared of using her powers at all...”

”And what the hell do think will happen if I try to do this, what’s it going to do to us, Luther?” Allison turned around, back facing them all and hand gripping her hair, “Vanya hurt people, Klaus almost died. _What the hell will happen to you?_ ” She demanded.

”As long as one of us survives, whatever it is, will be worth it,” 

“Guys, this is crazy talk!” Klaus laughed, “You’re talking about intense fear and shock. Someone has to get hurt and it has to truly mess you up,”

”You’ll think of something,” Luther said. 

“Fucking’ey!” Klaus exclaimed, he pushed his hand into Dave’s chest, to steady him as he stood, “I’m going to have a bath with the ghosts, you know, the least crazy things in this room.”


	26. The Club Scene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family seriously consider rumouring, and Klaus just wants to relax.

**Number Four/ Klaus**

“Well well well, look whose boarded the crazy train,” 

”Shut up, Ben,” Klaus huffed, “Allison, I might have an idea of how to royally screw up Luther,” and despite the words being said so flippantly, Klaus sounded serious, he sounded like he was battling with himself. “If you really want to do this, Rumour him,”

”Klaus,” She whispered,

”either it’s this or we go in without any improvements. But, by the time I try to get sober for the fight -which we don’t even know the date of- I probably still won’t be able to make Diego or Ben help... And if I can, I doubt I can control both of them and fight at the same time. That means no Ben, no Diego and no Five. And basically no me. I’m all up for trying though, I can’t really die,”

”What do you mean?”

”I mean every time I’ve died God sends me back down. I’m not evil enough for hell, but she doesn’t want to deal with me,” Klaus shrugged, “I’m going on a hard 8 deaths. Anyway, you could always make Luther think something horrible, then erase his memory,”

”it feels dirty,” Allison said, 

“Well, the bad guys aren’t playing very clean now, are they. If I’m boarding the crazy train I might as well go all on the way, drive it, talk to the passengers, have hot cocoa. But I’m definitely all ears for a smarter plan,”

”This is your only plan but it’s dumb as shit,” Diego pointed out, “if Five were here he’d be throwing out probabilities of one of them blowing up the planet,”

”I’ll just annoy god until she sends me back, then I’ll bring Five back,” Klaus shrugged, 

“that’s even dumber, bro,” Ben interjected,

”You know, it drains my energy to have you two close, but it drains my patience even more,”

”I need to...” Allison trailed off, “think. I’m sorry-“ Klaus allowed Allison to run in the opposite direction and now stood on the street corner, feeling incredibly bored all of a sudden. _Who better to call then Dave?_

 

**Number Seven / Vanya**

Vanya was avoiding visiting Five, too scared her emotions would take over and she’d cause more damage than good. It hurt way more to get someone back only to lose them again so soon. So she sat in her living room, a small bottle of opened beer beside her as she gently pulled her bow across her violin strings. “So, you want to go against your own family,” Vanya said,

”I do,” Lewis agreed, “we have to Sort out a schedule. He’ll Get worried or paranoid if I take too long away from _home_ ,”

”You could always drop by every time you have anything to give us,” Vanya said, “Why is it you’re so different, then?”

”Way I was built. Like the difference between a serial killer and a Buddhist. Sometimes it just is what it is. I don’t want the world to reset, I come from _this one_ ,”

”One of us saw the apocalypse. Apparently, you don’t want it to happen, it’s...” she trailed off, “it’s bad, horror like you’ve never seen before. So I do hope this isn’t a way to trick us,” 

“You’ll have to trust me. Though you don’t have a good track record,” 

“It was my fault,” Vanya whispered, she stopped playing and set her violin down, “I was dumb enough to fall for a guy who just wanted to hurt us. Your brother is a smart man,”

”That he is. But he’s also Impatient, we have that over him. Right, I should be off,” Vanya could only wish that she knew whether or not to trust this man, Icarus had been upfront before with his usage of Leonard. So she let him go and she didn’t pick up her violin again. Vanya wasn’t sure how easy it would Be to deal with yet another manipulator.

Her thoughts trailed off rather quickly, however, when the door slammed against the wall “Hello? Lewis? Luther?” She stood up, picking up her violin and pressing it to her side, “Jesus, Allison, you scared me,” she laughed.

”Sorry,” Allison muttered, “I just... Klaus wants to go ahead with the plan and I’m not seeing another way and I don’t want to hurt Luther,” she ranted, “But Ben is gone and Five is gone and Diego is gone, and I don’t think we can win this one this time, Vanya,”

”Yes, we can,” Vanya argued, “we're stronger than ever-“

”We aren’t,” Allison laughed, “Dad taught us, he taught us how to fight and win the fight and the second he dies we screwed it up. We always had to look after ourselves-“

”and if Diego hadn’t saved me, he’d be alive,” Vanya said, “but if Five hadn’t tried to take them all out alone he would be here too. Trying to protect yourself doesn’t work either. I fucked it all up again, I know,” she babbled, “but I can’t... Allison, I can’t break down again, I can’t stop moving the second I give in and admit it happened and- I can’t, we have to fight,”

”Are you going to pretend he's alive at the funeral, too?” Then Allison was shaking her head and threading her fingers through her messy coils, “I’m sorry. I’m taking out my stress on you, I just feel like I’m about to uncurl and spiral and go absolutely insane. It’s not like I can wipe my own memory, I’ll always have the memory of what I’m going to do to Luther,”

”Maybe... maybe it’ll be worth it one day,” she whispered, “maybe we’ll be able to slow down and Be happy again, together,” 

“Right," she agreed, "with or without the Academy. So, this Lewis guy, trust him?" 

"I trusted Leonard," Vanya wrapped her arms around her waist, so many years and yet her heart still ached. "I'm not a good judge of character," Lewis wasn't the craziest person Vanya had come by, and it certainly wasn't outside the realm of possibilities for Lewis to be wanting to fight his brother, a difference in morals - surely that was viable, _right?_  

"He seems undamaged but vulnerable all the same," Allison said, "the weaker of the two. The perfect candidate to gain our trust, as long as we keep a very close eye on him we should make it through this. Do I do this Vanya?" 

"You have options, it may not seem like it but we'll figure something out. If you're too scared to advance your powers and hurt Luther, then don't," 

"I... either way I lose, I won't be able to forgive myself if anyone else dies because I was a coward," Vanya knew suddenly that this was not a discussion, Allison wasn't asking but rather  _telling_. She was talking herself out of feeling that crushing guilt because she had already decided they had no choice. And the bulb in the lamp exploded when the name  _Reginald Hargreeves_ floated into Vanya's head, startling Allison. This was all because of him because he'd thrown innocent kids into the limelight and got them all killed or haunted by memories.

He never changed and his ghost never changed and  _they_ never changed. A product of their surroundings, their upbringings. "It's not Luther, it's a stranger, it's a mission and nothing more. One goal in sight," Vanya said, a guess at what she suspected their father might have told Allison if he were here. And she nodded and breathed out, "should we all be here for this?"

"No..." she trailed off, "I think I know what to do when he gets back, here's your chance to leave," but Vanya shook her head and grabbed Allison's hand, "together then..."

 

**Number Six/ Ben**

"Klaus! this is not the kind of place to be when you have to get clean, and definitely not the time!" Ben yelled over the loud drumming of the music, last time they'd been here Klaus had an episode and then eventually died in a fight. Not his brightest moment. "We kind of have to -you know- save what little remains of the family?"

"I need a bre _akkkk..._ " Klaus drawled, "Ooo Danke," Klaus took the whisky shot from Dave's hand and tossed it back, Klaus apparently wanted to drink until Ben and Diego's words turned into blurry background noise, drown out the irritated snapping and complaints and whines. Klaus had already spent three minutes singing loudly to drone Diego out, promptly pissing him off beyond belief. "Remember last time we went to a fucking club man?"

"Course," Dave snorted, sipping at his drink, "to life. Let's get hammered,"

"This is why you're my favourite," Klaus beamed, "let's just buy a giant bottle and pass it back and forth, come along Soldier," he grabbed Dave's shirt, yanking him towards the bar and Ben and Diego trailed behind, Diego's arms crossed and face scrunched up in an angry sneer. Ben, ever use to Klaus running away from all responsibilities, just sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Get used to it, man," Ben said to his brother, Klaus had been avoiding his problems since the day of his birth, really. And clearly, the stress was starting to hammer him into the ground and soon enough he'd break completely. If he hadn't secretly already. So he and Dave passed the bottle between them and Klaus spun in circles on the dance floor, wearing an oversized tunic and black tight latex pants, with risky slits down both legs. 

"You should wear more oversized things," Dave said, as if he'd read Ben's mind, Klaus snorted and wrapped his arms around Dave, the excess fabric winding around him, effectively trapping them. 

"And drown in all this fabric? no, that won't do," he winked, "I could make this tunic a beautiful belly shirt, I do have quite the stomach," and Dave smiled fondly, "tonight is all about can't look, can't touch, for the outside world,"

"World's ending again, I'm dead, Five's in a coma, Allison might be giving Luther PTSD, Vanya is flirting with the enemy - AGAIN, and an army of seriously pissed off guys is coming for us and Klaus is getting laid. Why am I not surprised?" Diego ranted, "can I exchange this one for a new one, this one is faulty," he pointed at Klaus, who spun Dave around and started jumping in place, "too late to send it back?"

"Preaching to the choir here, dude," Ben sighed, 

"You just know he's going to get drunk, take a bunch of drugs, get his rocks off and then be dead to the world for two or three days," Diego sneered, "I haven't wanted to kick someone's ass this hard in a while. If I was alive I would not be having sex with Eudora right now,"

"Shut up...!" Klaus groaned, "god you're killing my e-

"No! NO NO!" Ben yelled, covering his ears, 

"If I promise to stop drinking right now before I've barely reached tipsy, will you at  _least_ let me ravish this man right here?" Klaus pointed at Dave and Diego looked at Ben who nodded. "Great, we're going to dance and then **_party_** , _so go away_ ," 

So they went. Silence stretching between them and the heavy thought of  _that_ weighing on them.  _Gross_. But despite that Ben probably would have preferred the awkward atmosphere of the club, over what was going down at Vanya's apartment. Allison was trying to convince herself to rumour Luther, and Diego was pacing back and forth, and Ben just stood and stared. "Being dead is so annoying," Diego gritted out, "I feel like I have glass shards sticking into me at all times, I feel like bugs are biting me. I just want to scream and hit something-" 

"I know,"

"You feel useless," 

"I know," they both went silent, Allison kept stepping forward and stepping back and everyone was beginning to get angsty.

"I heard..." she choked on her words, swallowing back the hatred for herself and her powers and for everything these men were forcing them to do. Everything they'd taken. Their family, their pride, their morals. "I heard a rumour you-" she breathed in shakily and clenched her fists, "I heard a rumour that you think you murdered me,"

"Shit she went _there_ ," Diego muttered. And everyone and everything seemed to fall apart. The loud crashing of knees on the floor and Ben squeezed his eyes shut.


	27. The Mekudeshet Lev (מקודשת לב)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave and Klaus talk.

**Number Four / Klaus**

”I haven’t been boinked like that since like the war,” Klaus grinned, “for once this feels like a gift, not a curse,” though there was a small parade of dead veteran brothers following behind, and several creepy ghost children, Klaus had to wonder _is this what Dad was trying to teach me. The dead were once alive too, you know._

“I haven’t since _like_ the war,” Dave said, and Klaus shoved at him. “How you doing, anyways?”

”I think... I’m probably going to make it,” Klaus said, “We need to hurry up with the renovations on the house so we can move the kids back, and I should probably go sober...” though the thought was like fire in his veins. It wasn’t just him now, it was his struggling family, it was these kids he agreed to help take care of, and it was Dave. For once these drugs threatened to ruin everything. He couldn’t imagine OD’ing with Dave there to watch. 

Klaus knew how it felt to watch someone die in your arms. “You can do anything you try to,” Dave said, “because you’ve fought several fights, a war, you’ve survived siblings dying and multiple OD’s. This is nothing, okay, walk in the park. You haven’t been taking that long, it won’t be so bad,”

”Won’t Be so bad,” Klaus agreed, breathing out. 

“Can we stop for a minute, if it’s okay with you, Diego,” Diego sighed loudly and waved a hand and Klaus nodded his permission to Dave, who ran a hand through his hair. “I just wanted to say something.  _Harei at me'kudeshet li be'tabaat zo ke'dat mosheh ve'yisrael.”_

“What’s that mean?” Klaus frowned, and Dave smiled, “Oh come on, don’t leave me hanging, Dave,” he begged, “I’ll be tortured forever,” 

“It means - Behold, thou art betrothed unto me, with this ring, in accordance with the Law of Moses and Israel,” Dave answered, “tradition,”

”Jewish traditions,” Klaus nodded, “I don’t get it,”

”Klaus you’re so fucking stupid,” Diego sighed, “it’s a proposal,” Klaus was about to burst out laughing until he saw Dave’s face, he whipped around to stare at Diego, then Ben who was nodding, and then back to Dave. He could have passed out at that moment, he couldn’t breathe and the air around him was getting thinner.

”Me?” He pointed to himself,

”Yes you,” Dave rolled his eyes, “I was just going to leave the dog tags we both have, but since you’re a flashy person, Allison helped me out a little while ago. I really gotta get a job,”

”This is the trippiest hallucination ever,” Klaus said, 

“it’s been a year, we went through a war, a death, a resurrection, and several insane fights including superpowers and ghosts, and _this_ is going too far?” He laughed, “it’s more accepted these days, I could probably have just left and found someone better. But why would I do a stupid thing like that?” 

Klaus opened his mouth, just as a loud crash shook the area, they spun around and Klaus frowned as Luther came running out of Vanya’s apartment, “Holy fuck, _Luther - What the fuck is wrong with your body_?” 

“...stay away from me,” Luther stepped close to Klaus, who stepped back slowly, “You’re not real,” Klaus raised his eyebrows and Luther grabbed him and slammed him against a wall, 

”what the shit is wrong with you- _fuck,_ ” Klaus gasped as rolls of pain shot down his stomach, “super strength, super strength!” He babbled, “your breaking my ribs-“

”Put him down,” Dave ordered, whipping out his gun.

”Dont shoot! Don’t shoot!” Allison screamed, she barrelled out of the apartment, but the closer she got the more Luther squeezed. “Luther! I heard a rumour-“ she was cut off pretty quickly by something hitting her hard, forcing her painfully to the ground. Klaus groaned from on top of her, gripping his stomach. 

“Bang,” someone said, and Luther crashed to the ground, something protruding from his back. What looked like three little darts. “It was quite likely Luther would double in size, and strength, as well as have better grip and ability to climb surfaces. Something you would have taken into account had you contemplated the negative effects,”

Klaus rolled off of Allison, hitting the ground with a loud wheeze, “Does anyone else see Little Five or Is it really just Me this time?”

”Five?” Suffice to say, Vanya won for quickest to start crying as she ran at her brother and wrapped her arms around him. “You’re awake, and out of the hospital what are you doing out of the hospital?” She babbled,

”Well, I was trapped in purgatory, and whilst I was there I trained until my powers could Be used, And I went back into a previous body. Unfortunately that one was rather broke, and they were going to turn the life support off. I was quite dead, but no matter. Now I am here. 7 years and 1/2, instead of 10,”

Allison stumbled up, tears on her cheeks as she spoke into Luther’s ear. “Um, Five, buddy,” Klaus sat up slowly, accepting Dave’s helping hand, “Diego...he didn’t, make it,” for the first time Klaus got to witness shock from Five, ever the wise all knowing Five had no idea this Time.

”How?”

”Leonard knifed him, he bled out,” Klaus whispered, “I can’t...I don’t have the strength, I... used it on the fight,”

”I see,” Five said, and disappeared.

”That...didn’t go so bad, he took it well,” Dave said,

”Trust me, he really didnt,” Klaus replied.


	28. The Ambitious Traveller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five meets God.

**Number Five**

Five’s first thought was a rather rational one in his mind - _I am dead._ The world was black and white and the only colour that survived was his favourite, yellow. He could see specks of yellow in the grayscale flowers, the yellow sun above his head. “Yet another Hargreeves. I do not like your family,”

”I suppose you are the creator,” Five said, “I wasn’t quite sure if I would die and find myself old again, or the same young boy,” though Five wasn’t that surprised he was still his younger self. Whenever he thought of himself he Imagined Little Five, over-ambitious, overly confident, cocky, Number Five. Not the bitter, lonesome, killer he turned into as an adult. 

“You are thankfully not dead. This is purgatory, all come when they are deceased and are fit into categories, good or bad. Some who are in the middle linger here. I am glad to say I need not deal with you - potentially. If you do not wake before they switch your life support off, I will have to sort you,”

”Hm,” Five started walking alongside this creator, this little girl and it made so much sense that a child be the almighty, the most imaginative ambitious things children were. “Is my father here?”

”Your father is not,” she said, “I believe your brother destroyed his soul. Who knows where he may be,” that was quite calming for Five’s own soul. “You are here from protecting your family. A rather noble feat. But you are a murderer, however, a murderer so that you may save the world from blowing up. You would likely be Good or stuck here, there are many people here for humans are not perfect,”

”Why do you hate us?” Five tilted his head,

”Simple, you are all big-headed, selfish, mistakes and stains on this Earth. You are unnatural, but I specifically do not like the Hargreeves personality. Aside from Vanya, whose isolation made her pure of soul. I would not mind her,”

”So you’re saying we get to live because we’re bad, seems bad is good for us,”

”I suppose so,” she scowled, “I am yet to sort the man who commanded the others to murder you,”

”Harold Jenkins. Murderer of millions,” Five said, “on purpose. Not because he had to, but out of spite and jealousy. Like a child who won’t share their toys,” The creator said nothing in response, but Five knew she probably had something to think about. 

“Here you will find the people who attacked your family, as I am sorting them as we speak. As well as men who served with your brother - who do not wish to go to the good side, and would rather remain. Police officers who served with your other brother. And others you may know, do with that knowledge what you will,”

Five thought if he was going to be stuck here, he might as well learn the ins And outs. “Hargreeves?” Johnson snorted, “biggest fairy going, but fuck could he drink. And fuck could the little shitter shoot well. Liked the kid towards the end,” Five learned just a little about all of his siblings, and despite wandering around nothing had come to his mind.

 _How to escape_ he asked himself. He remembered the initial hit to the head, falling down and then nothing at all. He figured they mashed him up, which, suffice to say Five was pretty convinced he hadn't very long to be kept on Life Support. He had to find his own way back home, once again.  _It's always me_ , Five thought to himself, sighing to himself. First, he had to find something to write with, but it seemed some of the children here had a few art supplies, so he borrowed a crayon from a quiet girl and a piece of paper from a boy who reminded him a lot of Ben. 

-> He goes back in time?  _No_ , that wouldn't work. My body is pretty destroyed I'm just a soul now I can't go back into that empty shell. 

So back to the drawing board he went. "Trying to escape, you've always been the most ambitious of all of your siblings," The creator said.

" _Insolent, insubordinate, Idiot,_ The three big I's," Five said, "as well as  _overly confident, Annoyingly ambitious, cocky-_ I could go on really. I suppose Diego, Allison and Klaus were the other three with folders that were the size of novels. He particularly hated Allison," he hummed, "I suppose if I had to guess, Klaus would have been excited to hear of his death, Diego would have been shocked and unsettled, Luther would be sad, Allison would be regretful that they couldn't make amends, Vanya would feel both sadness and relief, Ben most-likely felt giddy and it probably made him smirk," 

"And you?"

"Me? I felt nothing at all," Five shrugged, "take the...sub...no, that wouldn’t work," he mumbled, "well, it seems the most likely idea I have is to go somewhere else. I've not tried going to a different reality,"

"I don't want you here too soon again. But especially not Klaus Hargreeves," 

"I'll let him know," Five muttered, wondering what the hell Klaus had done to anger this girl so much. 

And though Five’s time spent in purgatory was long, and tiring, it wasn’t nearly as long as his time in the apocalypse. Not nearly as isolated, though purgatory surprisingly was filled with quite a lot of assholes.

”This is the plan,” Five said, though he was sure she didn’t care. “I go to an alternate timeline in which my body still exists. And I take it,” though he’d technically be sort of killing a version of himself. “Come back here. Then I make my way-“

”Good luck then, Hargreeves,” the creator sneered, little feet pedalling her away. That bell on the bike ringing loudly, echoing through the trees. 

-

Klaus was not to be trusted so Five had to blink into a shop to steal any alcohol he wanted. He’d come back to Luther turning insane and Diego... he shook his head and threw back the shot of vodka. Five had once planned out in his dead who was most likely to die first out of the siblings. Before Ben died.

It went as follows -

Klaus, Vanya, Ben, _himself,_ then Allison, Luther, And finally Diego. He knew his ambition would get him killed someday, Allison’s cockiness, Klaus’s self destructive nature, Vanya’s weakness, Ben’s fear and ability to be manipulated, Luther’s dedication. He figured Diego trying to do too many things at once would kill him.

But never before the others. It was a bigger shock than Ben’s death. Killed by the very thing Diego used as an extension on his own arm, like a limb - a piece of himself. Knifed in the throats by somebody who didn’t even know his name. 

“Jeez, Five, there you are. Where’d you get the booze?”

”No,” Five said, better to stop Klaus before he even asked. “Control yourself,” he snapped, and Klaus drew back, “we need all the help we can get, or more people will _die_ ,”

”Five, I _know_. I’m working on it, I promise,” Klaus said, “we’ve Allied up with a guy. He approached us after the fight, claims to be the asshole leaders Brother. The leader is the one who put the idea in Peabody’s head in the first place,”

”Have you killed him? - No, of course not. You’re too stupid,” Five sighed, “I hope for all of our sakes you at least rumoured him,”

”Are you Okay?”

”Worry about yourself, Klaus,” Klaus sat beside Five and went to pat his back, but then drew back at the last moment. 

“We didn’t even see what happened to you,” Klaus muttered, “Vanya hesitated I think. Diego tried to save her, we got him to the roof before he bled out. Yet another dead brother,”

”I suppose he wasn’t happy about that,”

”Yeah no shit he spends all day complaining,” Klaus snorted, “never ever shuts up. I thought I was bad- _shut up Diego!”_ It brought a smile to Five’s face, barely the twitch of a thing. “Can I Be honest with you?”

”Just don’t be stupid,”

”I think we’re going to die,” Klaus said, startling Five. “I can’t use my powers, I doubt you can after your little trip. We’re out powered, outnumbered, we’re hurt and we’re depressed and we’re unstable. Luther just increased his powers and turned into fucking King Kong-“

”Perhaps you’re right. We will take as many out as possible. For now, focus on getting clean, focus on your Dave, and-“

” _Dave!_ ” Klaus exclaimed, standing up and causing the bar stool to crash to the floor. “Fucking Luther,” 

“Weirdo,” Five said to himself as he watched Klaus storm out of the room. 


	29. The Quick Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Short chapter of A quick family meeting.

**Number Two / Diego**

Watching Klaus dance around Dave was as annoying as being dead. And until Diego had died he had forgotten how annoying Klaus could be, as kids he drove him mad, earned himself a bruise or two from being so annoying. “Lingering by the couch like a stalker watching him from afar won’t solve anything,” The ever-wise Ben told Klaus. 

“We’re talking about the man of my dreams and the man of my dreams in the shower, here!” Klaus whisper-yelled, “he -like- wants all the baggage. What crazy bastard wants the baggage? Superhero siblings, ghosts and kids, maybe... oh god, Ben what if it’s like Pet Cemetary?” 

“You think he’s a zombie out to kill you because he wants to marry you after a year with your stupid ass? I think you’re onto something here, Klaus,” Diego said, and Ben slapped his shoulder. It was more like a weird pressure than anything. “Maybe you scrambled his brains-“

”Diego is just messing with you,” Ben hissed, 

“I'm gonna say no,” 

“No you’re not,” Both Diego and Ben snapped at once, “stop being a wimp,” Diego sighed, 

“He feels obligated to put a ring on it because I brought him back, this is like, being made to fuck your boss or get fired,” Klaus hissed back, 

“you telling me in those ten months he never once mentioned marriage? Doesn’t seem like Dave, his optimism grosses me out,” Ben said.

”Yes, but I give really good dick, and then it’s like you think weird stuff... and everything spirals,” _when do I tell this idiot that Dave can see him in the reflection of the TV screen?_ Diego thought to himself. 

"What happens if you or Dave dies?" Diego asked, rather boldly. "Forever this time," Klaus paused, seemingly not understanding. So Diego dumbed it down for him. "If one of you dies and doesn't come back, ever. You happy knowing you turned it down?" 

"Such an idiot," Ben sighed as Klaus stepped forward towards Dave-

" **Family meeting!** " Klaus screamed and slapped his hands over his mouth and Dave turned around, Allison was peaking into the room, staring at Klaus, then Dave, raised her eyebrows, and finally walked in. "I assume Ben and Diego are here,"

"I have the big lug," Five said, popping up beside Klaus, Klaus gasped and stumbled back, grasping his chest. Five was gripping Luther's sleeve with his hand, all Luther knew was that his brain wasn't working correctly - like he had experienced something truly awful, but couldn't remember it. Like an imaginary wall protected him from memory. It didn't stop how he now looked, even bigger, even more noticeable, flatter feet - flatter hands. And when he leaned against the wall he almost fell back into it as it curled in on itself. 

Diego was torn between feeling extremely sorry for his brother and laughing just a little. "We've improved Luther's power," Vanya said, "there's not much we can do to make you any stronger, Allison," 

"It'll have to do. We have to come up with a way to make Klaus ready-"

"Klaus and I experienced ruthless and complex combat training in the field including the making of bombs and traps - though he didn't listen much on that part, we also mastered all kinds of weaponry," Dave said,

"So give Klaus a gun or two," Allison agreed,

"And...maybe some knives... probably. Everything has been flushed and we're putting you on surveillance, Klaus," Vanya smiled gently at him, "you probably shouldn't try to conjure both Ben  _and_ Diego during the fight right?" she looked around at the room, "you'll get drained, and if you pass out you'll be killed. So maybe just Ben," because they all knew The Horror didn't get its name for being friendly. "We don't want to be inside when they come for us, there's not enough room in here..."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Ben asked, and Diego raised his eyebrows, "we'll see," is all he said.

"Well now I'm fucking tortured, Ben," Klaus sighed, 

"I may be able to build up enough energy for a jump or one time travel," Five said, "just like Klaus I will be using my guns. I was also trained very well," Dave looked not only confused but a little uncomfortable with that very knowledge, and Klaus tried to remember if he actually told Dave his brother was a 50-year-old assassin. 

"I have an idea!" Vanya exclaimed, "it could be really good for us to get some protection. If we all learn to use guns, they won't expect that. We also need bombs, traps, and definitely some protective gear. Like vests - try to protect our bodies a little better,"

"Good idea, Van," Klaus beamed, "though rather drab the gear is, I made it work in' Nam," he grinned, winking at Dave. "We're going to hit them with  _all_ we've got," 

"Now, I have business to attend to," Five said, and as everyone opened their mouths he was gone with a pop of light. 

 

**Number Five**

 

"Number Five, you are awake," the new Handler wasn't all that similar to the last, she was half the age of his previous boss. Young, unemotional and withdrawn. Just as Five wanted. "I thought perhaps you'd gotten yourself killed, already,"

"Yes, well, I'm not easy to put down," Five said back, "but I will be if these assholes get the jump on us,"

"You want to make another deal?"

"Spare me a couple of your agents, I'll overlook the trainee's missions. That includes taking over for them if they fuck up, which means breaking my no-killing rule," the Handler hummed, moving forward with her hands behind her back. "And of course, I will continue our previous deal of training your new members,"

"Perhaps I will spare a fighter or two," she said, "because I quite like you Number Five. You are absolutely everything I want for my new recruits, and I do not wish to risk losing you - as I will never find a trainer quite as good, I fear,"

"Good," Five agreed, "How did my trainee Crayon do upon my departure?"

"I sent him on his first task and he failed," She sighed, "It was-"

"The finger, yes," Five finished for her, "I told him to use his second finger if his first is too fucked up and damaged to pull the trigger, then I suggested simply removing the first to avoid the temptation of _trying_ to use it. Of course, he is afraid of pain. I can't understand what it is you see in him,"

"A lot it seems," she answered, "he does not have the positive qualities I enjoy in you, however, he has other uses some Agents do not. His ability at manipulation through actions and words for a normal man is quite impressive. I enjoy his ability to get into his Targets head for an easy takedown. Less chance of sloppiness,"

"I'll take the finger," Five said, and she nodded slowly.

"See that you do,"


	30. The Family Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family do an interview.

**Number Two / Diego**

Diego, of all people, never thought he would have died with regrets. He watched Vanya trying to shoot a gun and fail tremendously and he watched Klaus, too. In the flesh and up close he was incredible, but it reminded him of Five every time Five fought or took a life.

Like they could disconnect from the killing or the fighting or even the training, Klaus’s brain had only one focus and that was the target, nothing else existed, nothing else could wake him. Diego regretted not noticing Klaus being missing, though Klaus would have lived through many years of trauma for Dave, he should have never had to in the first place.

But he felt the worst about the one person Diego was a second close to as he was his mother. And that was one Luther Hargreeves. Like a Ben to his Klaus, Luther was. They were always talking and discussing mature subjects that interested them, they hung out 24/7, they were like twins in a way.

But then Luther had to become Diego’s least favourite sibling and all it took was three days, until Diego pretended like Luther had died, was dead to him. Not speaking or breathing around him, he wouldn’t share his air with his brother. Maybe it started when They found out Klaus was using for the first time, and Luther swung at him furiously and dislocated Klaus’s hip.

Diego had never had a big fight with Luther before, and though he was just as pissed at Klaus, he felt pity too. Something had changed that week, whether his powers had developed, or someone said something to him, Klaus wasn’t Klaus anymore. He slept all day and stayed awake all night, stopped trying in training, always came last and was always punished.

And he tried to kill himself, and Luther who was known for angry fits when he was terrified beyond belief had to be restrained. He broke Diego’s nose and said awful things to Klaus’s sunken in face. And then it was Vanya, _useless, pathetic, Vanya. Can never mind her own business,_ and when she tried to sneak out on a mission Luther was Luther once again.

He pushed her to the floor and for the first time Diego truly went for his brother, like a rabid animal who clamped on his arm and kneed him in the stomach, and they didn’t speak for weeks. Five disappeared and Luther was silent when his dad didn’t care.

Ben died, Luther blamed himself and pushed Diego away. Vanya decided to leave and Luther disowned her.

But it was the excuses. It was Dad this and dad that and years ago- _no,_ weeks ago Diego had been calling Luther a blind idiot and he was. But he was also as manipulatable as Ben. Number one since an extremely early age and the pressure would have been suffocating. 

And really, after Ben Luther wanted to be loved by their father more than ever. He and Diego weren’t on speaking terms even during missions. He and Vanya had never gotten along. Klaus had turned into an absolute mess after Ben and Dad locked him in a cell in the house. And Diego noted the eerie similarities between the events of Ben’s death and his own. He and Allison were still close, though. Always would be.

And now Diego had to watch Luther try to train with his new body and uncontrollable strength with fear on his face. Diego knew how to read Luther better than anyone else, _I am unloveable, I am a monster, I am ugly, I am dangerous, I am a bad leader. I failed._

And Diego wanted to hit him. _What was Ben’s favourite film? Oh yeah, Beauty and the Beast. ‘For who could ever love a beast,’_ a line both Ben And Luther understood. 

So when Dave began to help Klaus train and Klaus got so intense his hands started sparking And Diego watched with a frown.

“that’s you with your thinking cap on,” Ben said, “someone is starting to get the _things I should have done before I died_ , feelings aren’t you?”

”Oh shut it,” Diego hissed, “what the hell were you babbling about earlier, by the way?” Ben hopped down and strolled over Diego, grabbing his cheeks and turning his head. He was looking towards Klaus And Dave, Klaus was doing sit-ups and Dave held his ankles. They were both speaking to Vanya who’d given up on the gun and instead was talking animatedly. “So?”

”Can you hear what she’s saying?” Diego squinted, and moved closer, “she’s suggesting meditation, to help Klaus block out the outside world including ghosts. And is explaining meditation can help improve concentration, something that will really aid Klaus during the battle,”

”Okay?” Diego crossed his arms,

”I just think her stepping up Is interesting is all. She’s leader material,”

”You think _she_ should take over, Vanya, little ordinary Vanya who can barely control her powers? No way, I vote Five,”

”Five is definitely the smartest. He’d be good for war, but more strategy... the chess player. But Vanya to know where To send people, shes got Five's wisdom but more empathy. If we could get her confidence-boosting maybe she’d slide into The position,”

”You’re crazy, we are not seeing the same person,” he snorted. 

“I don’t see many other better options. Five or Allison,” Ben shrugged, 

“Guys? Lewis says he’s on the way with some information for us-“

”Ooo, so it’s like that, texting and everything?” Klaus grinned, “good for you, little Vanya. Why that Peaslut was a 5 at best, and Louie-“

”Lewis-“

”Is a hard 8,” And Klaus’s pretended to fan himself and Dave grinned and rolled his eyes, “stop distracting me with Impure three-some images. I don’t share,” he huffed, “Also, whose on armour duty?”

”Diego follows you, and you’ve met Eudora Patch,” Five pointed out, “so it’s you,”

”Oh great, I dropped myself in that one didn’t I,” Klaus shook his head and tossed his rifle to Five who caught it, “see if you can’t survive the kickback, heavier the gun, better the chance of blowing them to dust,” 

“Five’ll turn to dust, you mean,” Ben said, and Klaus laughed. “Lewis is here," he added on, right before the knocking of the door echoed in the apartment.

"How do you always do that?" Klaus sighed, "I will get it-"

"I've got it," Vanya interjected, walking past him in a quick stride. Diego followed her, crossing his arms and glaring - a real protective Guardian Angel, who was ready to manifest and kick Lewis's ass. "Hey, uh, everyone's here,"

"Good," was Lewis's first word to Vanya, but his first words to the rest were - "We're screwed," and that wasn't particularly inspiring, "he has at least twenty powered ready to storm this place. Though some have more trivial or weaker powers, some are a little strong too. None quite as strong as Vanya, but they'll kill the rest of you,"

"Oh yay," Klaus clapped his hands, "I just love an inspirational pep talk," 

"Then how the hell do we win?" Luther muttered, 

"Well, you have but a few options, really. One, go into hiding forever. Two, take your chances and attempt to fight. Three, kill my brother and hope the group disperses and doesn't get more determined to kill you. Four, find a way to get his army on your side," 

"It wasn't like I painted the greatest picture of our lives in my book," Vanya said, 

"Yes, but I've been told your book holds a lot of happiness and hope involving your siblings. Something many of those did not have," 

"The changing of your book has affected us," Five pointed out, "perhaps it's time we get in front of a camera screen, once more," and a groaning spread across the room, "we tell the truth about who we have always been to each other. The not noticing Klaus being kidnapped," and Klaus looked away, "the locking Vanya up," and Luther had the decency to look slightly ashamed at that one. "Why don't we tell the world what The Umbrella Academy really is,"

"I like that plan," Lewis said.

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

 

They went from lowest number to highest. Klaus was a little surprised everyone still remembered The Umbrella Academy, were still interested in their lives. Allison had told Luther before they sat in front of the cameras that he had to be completely honest. So he was. He started with the emotional training - something no one was aware of, Reginald had trained Luther to build a wall around his emotions, lest he ever needed to kill one of his siblings or leave them behind. Like he did Ben. Luther told of how Reginald tortured the Horror inside of Ben until during a mission it burst out in an angry fit, Ben fought against it and the Horror kept him trapped in that warehouse as everything around him burned to ash. 

And there was the moon. Total and complete isolation and silence and darkness, terrible food, all for nothing. The monster Reginald had made.

Klaus spoke for Diego. He had an empty seat on his left and his right for his two brothers, and Diego sat and Klaus tried to follow along. There was the target practice, where Diego would have to aim his knives at his siblings, strangers, or animals. An incentive to never miss. Reginald found out about his ability to hold his breath, too. And Diego had been locked up in a giant box filled with water for days. He was wrinkled, and had the flu, freezing and shaking and absolutely mortified and terrified. How he was so close to Luther, and their father was to blame for them drifting apart, filling Luther's head with lies and manipulation.

Three had to Rumour people. Had to rumour her siblings.  _Klaus thinks he's dead - no, he knows he's alive. Vanya thinks she's special, no she knows she isn't._ And he kept pushing the limit, could Allison make them things they were not? like change parts of them, change if Luther liked spaghetti or not? wiping memories, she hated having to see the effects on her siblings no matter if it lasted for minutes or days. 

And Klaus, Klaus was particularly hesitant to get into  _his_ past. And of course, he started with the mausoleum - every time he went in there they got angrier until they could touch him, hit him, scratch him, threaten him, break fingers. The first time he left that place and sat at the dinner table he had a mental breakdown Allison had to "correct", aka  _I heard a rumour you were calm_ , and even doing so, Klaus was calm on the outside and eating and happily talking, but he could still feel it on the inside, a dark hole that threatened to rip him into pieces, it kept trying to push out and push out and it was more maddening having to keep the cries and panic in.

He started drinking, Reginald didn't care unless he did so during training or on a mission. He did drugs, yet again Reginald didn't care - but voiced his disappointment very loudly. A clear memory was when Klaus was eating at dinner, Reginald had found out, and humiliated him in front of his siblings. He told them  _Did you know your brother has been doing hard drugs?_ and everyone was shocked and turning to him and holding their mouths.  _I had to drag him from the porch this morning, covered in vomit and alcohol, stinking of sweat and sex and weed and unresponsive._ Klaus hated him so much at that moment. It gave the others an opening to all yell at him and make him feel even worse.

Five discussed the forceful teleportation, teleporting with people to high places so he could accurately learn to jump. He had to see how many times he could jump before he went unconscious, sometimes he fell off the roof and Luther had to catch him, the first time Five broke his knee. There was the suffocating feeling of Reginald around every corner, Five couldn't escape for even a minute.

Six's story was as long as Klaus's. His father was so... _disgusted_ by him, he hated Ben and the  _Horror_ , a name Reginald had given it. He would force the Horror to stay in when it wanted to be out, force it out when it wanted in. He would poke at it and experimented on it like he did all of the children. 

And Vanya didn't have much to say at all. 

But they all talked about each other and their treatments of one another. How alone they really were as children.

Even Klaus had a drink when they got back, noticing in this moment that this was the first time they’d all sat around a table, pouring each other drinks. “Why you pouring me one, I’m dead, idiot,” Diego said.

”Well, excuuuussseeee me,” Klaus mocked, taking Diego’s drink from in front of him. “Can you believe this guy?” He said to Ben who shook his head. “Well, I think they’re still going to come kill us, cheers!” 


	31. The War Fought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight is taken to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like how this turned out actually.  
> But I apologize for torturing these characters once again lmao.

**Number Five**

All through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. One of the many rhymes Five enjoyed as a child, so real and easy to envision - total and complete silence like a graveyard at night. 

Until a creature stirred, that creature being Klaus whose scream echoed around the house. Five tried to jump to him but he sparked for a second, flashing a dim blue and orange and flickering in and out of reality. So he reached under his pillow and kicked his bedroom door open, holding up his guns. 

There were loud bangs, sounds of a struggle and when Five appeared around the corner he saw a mess of blankets that had been on the couch, and glass scattered across the floor. “Duck!” Five commanded, and Klaus dropped to the floor, hands coming over his ears as Five began to frantically shoot at the intruders. 

Only around 5-6 people. Likely, more were attacking upstairs. “I think this Is it!” Klaus yelled over the sounds of the ammo exploding into the room, smashing picture frames and mugs. Icarus had moved quickly, too quick for it to Be a long since the planned attack, but rather a spur of the moment _go go go_. No warning, no plan. Just _kill kill kill_ \- it was as good as their own plan.

Whilst Klaus stayed on the floor Five saw a bright blue light shine and suddenly an apparition of Ben appeared, wearing that same stupid hoodie he refused to remove when he was living, and the Elderich monster burst out of him and swept through the air, taking the attackers By surprise. Five shot one, Ben got three, and one leapt through the air at Five and landed a punch right to his chin.

Klaus was saying something, yelling and flailing And kicking at whoever was dragging him across the floor and Ben tore apart those men. “Leave and I’ll let you live!” Five screamed, bringing his knee into the girl's stomach, she gasped and stumbled back and leapt again. “Flying huh, levitation, how precious,” Five sneered, he quickly snatched the knife out of his belt loop and slashed it through the air, She barely got away in time, and suffered a deep cut to the cheek. 

“Diego for Christ sake,” Diego was flickering in and out, struggling to remain at the same time as Ben, he managed to toss a knife before he completely disappeared, but it hit it's mark as it always did, right in the mans neck and he let go of Klaus’s leg and hit the floor with a loud crash. 

“ **KNOCK KNOCK!”** A voice yelled, the front door open hit the doorframe hard enough to shake the room and a man breezed in, he had those _crazy_ eyes very few possessed, all small pupils and wide eyes, dark with bags, red with veins. The contrast to his brother was quite startling, despite how alike they looked. Lewis stood beside him, Five glanced at him and dodged the hit of the girl and slashed again, moving forward.

And Klaus stumbled up, stepping back and staring at the group who stood in the entrance, blocking them inside of the room. “I’m not going to let you prevent my chaos again,” Icarus said, 

“Listen, Phantom Of The Opera. We’re going to rip you apart, BEN-“ Klaus flicked his blue hands up and Ben’s horror cake flying at him, encased by vines that desperately tried to fight against its grip, the girl defending Icarus was going red, getting breathless, definitely no match for Ben. 

“He’s controlling him. Take out the big-mouthed brat,” Klaus gasped when someone stepped forward, opening their mouth and releasing a thick black fog into the room. 

“Five-!” Klaus yelled, Five turned for a second and went down, knees hitting the ground, but he took the girl with him and rolled on top of her, slitting her neck, “FIVE!” Ben was still struggling against those vines, Klaus stepped back, one foot at a time, hands trembling violently as the fog began to encase him. “Five-“

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

He was blind. The entire room was completely and utterly dark, nothing but a suffocating black until it wasn’t. “Number Four,” Klaus had thought his father was truly gone forever, and what was it? His death made him happy but his suicide broke him, his death excited him but somehow banishing his soul forever broke him. “Maybe if you hadn’t even started doing the drugs, And pissing away your ability you’d be able to actually win this fight,”

”Fuck-“ Klaus spun around, Ben was gone. The horror and the enemy were nowhere to Be found. “Dave- shit Dave where are the others?” Dave opened his mouth and blood poured out and Klaus yelled and dove forward, catching him. “Medic! I need a medic!” He screamed, 

“you got hurt, almost died and broke my heart, never run out in the middle of combat to save someone already too far gone,” Dave’s whispered words echoed into the dark air and Klaus felt his heartbreak all over again, “they don’t know if you’ll lose the arm, if you’ll even make it. Klaus-“ Klaus turned in circles, frantically looking left and right, “I don’t know if we should continue this. Not on the battlefield, it hurts too much,”

”Five!” Klaus called, and bit By bit he saw more white, but not light or the sign of freedom, but the white faces of the dead that screamed and encased him, he felt like he was bound by rope, listening to the screams and seeing fire out of the corner of his eye, what Klaus had imagined what the scene Ben died looked like. He saw Ben’s burned body and the Horror screeching an inhuman noise, tearing him apart.

And he saw Diego being stabbed, but not once but a thousand times, more violently each time- “Klaus-“ he gasped, the room turned completely white, and then he saw Five standing over him, face covered with black tar and hair drooping over his eyes, he’d slapped Klaus with everything he had. “It’s just her power, it’s not real!” He yelled. 

Klaus hadn’t seen Five quite as unstable as he did right now. His eyes were wide, he was panting and shaking and they were in the corner of the kitchen, the black cloud lingering by the door and trapping them. “God Five-“ Klaus squeaked, And Five did something that shocked Klaus to his core, he gripped him in a hug.

And suddenly Klaus got the sense that this was something they’d bare together, like time travel, This was their horror. Together. He wondered what Five saw and it knocked him sick to imagine it. Whatever it was, Five was almost in a thousand pieces. “We have to get out of here-“ Klaus gasped, sitting up frantically. “Where are the others?”

”I don’t know, upstairs I think,” Five mumbled, he stood up and stormed up to the dinner table, tossing something at Klaus’s head. “Tie That Towel around your mouth, close your eyes, and think happy thoughts,” and Five did just this. With little to no hesitation, he tied the knot and ran through the fog. Klaus began to shake but followed.

He expected, gore, he expected blood but all he saw was flashing behind his eyelids, all he could hear was Diego and Ben’s voice trying to coax him through it. And when he opened his eyes he saw a flash of a bloody mutilated Dave that almost had him stopping, but he reached the bottom of the stairs.

Just in time for the entire upstairs to begin violently rocking, “we got to take this to the fucking streets,” Klaus gasped before he starting running up the stairs, taking two at a time. Five was right on his tail until another wave rocked the house and Klaus saw Vanya for half a second before he flew through the air, crashing against the wall and Five came right after.

Klaus let out a wheeze of pain as Five was tossed into him from the blast. “We need to be cautious - we're not immune to Vanya,”

”Everybody make your way outside, _now god damn it!_ ” Klaus yelled, 

“ _Icarus!”_ Klaus shoved at Five, turning just in time to see Icarus crumple to the floor, the knife protruding from his neck, “what have you done?” The girl sneered at Lewis. Throwing her hands up the vines wrapped around her throat and Klaus looked left and right and snatched Five’s fallen gun from the floor.

He aimed right for the vines, and she screeched and turned to face him, still gripping Lewis. “Put down the traitor!” Klaus ordered, “your life sucked, our lives sucked, let’s get together and go bowling!” And she screamed and Klaus screamed as a vine wrapped around his foot And yanked him across the floor. “Five, a little help here!-“

 

**Number Three / Allison**

It was particularly sickening for Allison to witness Luther punching someone so hard their head exploded, but she’d seen the workings of The Horror - this was nothing. She sucked in a breath and stopped suddenly, “They’re wearing earbuds and headphones!” Allison yelled, “I can’t  control them!”

”We need to get them out, then,” Luther called back, they both stumbled towards each other and turned, back to back, “Vanya! Can you send out a wave big enough to knock out their headphones?” Vanya nodded and closed her eyes, holding out her hands. “Stay close to me,” he said to Allison, and she nodded. “Where the hell is Dave?”

”Brace for impact!” Allison yelled, grabbing onto Luther’s arms, the enemies closed in and then Vanya was throwing out her hands and they both collapsed, “Luther!” Allison tried to grab his hand but he was too strong and was thrown down the stairs, and straight through the floorboards. 

“Allison- I need your witchcraft!” Klaus called, she looked to the floor where Luther had fallen and started around the corner, Klaus was pinned against the wall, slashing at thick vines that encased him, and Five was keeping several at bay with his gun. 

“I heard a rumour you don’t want to fight!”

”Allison, just kill her!” Five yelled back,

”I heard a rumour you knew Icarus was a terrible person, I heard a rumour you want to help us win!” And the girl dropped Klaus harder enough that he was gripping his ribs and gasping.

”I heard a rumour you gently set Klaus on the floor and didn’t break one of his ribs,” he wheezed out, “Jesus, Allie,”

”What did you do to her, you witch?" 

"Shit," Lewis swore, "it's fucking Arther," 

"Should we be concerned?" Klaus asked the man wasn't doing much but standing there, no protruding vines or magical powers. 

"I heard a rumour you left this house!" Allison commanded, but the man didn't move,

"Ah shit," Klaus groaned, "something tells me this guy has a lot in common with Bella Swan. We'll have to kill him physically I think. Leave it to me-" four words Klaus and his siblings never thought he'd say. "Right, asshole, I hope you don't have much battlefield training. Diego - knife me,  _not like you though, like, give me a knife-_ " Allison gasped as a knife appeared in Klaus's hand and he began walking forward. 

"We need to cover him-"

"Where the hell have you been?" Five demanded and Dave crouched behind the knocked over table, holding his gun up high in the air and towards Klaus. 

"They were getting in through the attic so I was covering it, shooting out of the window and eventually blocked it," Dave answered, "but we got a bigger problem, cops are on the way. I saw sirens, plenty of innocents gathered around outside. They'll be civilian casualties," 

"fucking reporters," Five growled, "I'm heading for the front of the house, I'll try to keep everybody away. You guys get Klaus before he gets his dumb ass killed. And someone find Vanya!" they all nodded at each other and Allison looked over her shoulder,

"I'll go find Vanya. You guys help Klaus-" and before Luther could even interject Allison was running off. 

"She's a tough broad, she'll be fine. Focus on your brother," Dave said, clicking his fingers in front of Luther's eyes.

 

 

**Number Seven / Vanya**

She was in total and complete darkness. Walking slowly through the halls and hearing the sounds of gentle violin music playing until it got louder and louder and suddenly was filled with anguish that bit at her heart.  _Go away Vanya, there's just nothing special about you, I actually have never liked you - you're pretty pathetic,_ "You really had to hesitate to kill me this time," Leonard said, "It was pretty easy to jump you this way,"

"I don't want to ever hurt somebody again,"

"Tough luck," he sneered, "people like  _you_ \- like your  _family_ \- people like  _me_. Are destined for destruction, destined to destroy everything in our path. So many humans searching for a god, searching for a purpose, and we already know ours," 

"Vanya-" Vanya was alone again - no, not alone, Diego was there and hitting the ground, and Klaus was screaming and there was so much blood and Allison's throat was being cut, their mother - Pogo, they were all being murdered violently. And she was liking it.

" _Vanya_ \- hey, what' _s going on?_ " a voice cut through the darkness but she started running, covering her ears and yelling to block everything out, to quiet everything, "I got you - are you okay? fuck shit,"

"Allison?" Vanya whispered, "I was stuck in a dream. What happened?" 

"I need to leave you here, I need to find the others-"

"Allison?" Vanya could see the sky above her head, clouds slowly rolling and she felt truly at peace. Her palms were cut to ribbons, and her leg was agonising, and the entire front of her shirt was covered in blood, too much blood. She scrambled at her chest but there were no wounds. "Allison?" she sat up slowly and yelled at the shooting hot pain in her right leg, everything was gone. Once again she'd torn everything - torn her  _home_ to pieces. 

And Five was close by, panicking, trapped under rubble and thrashing. Chanting  _no no no not again, not again, I thought I fixed everything_ , "Five - you're not there!" Vanya called and he ignored her. "The apocalypse is over it never happened-" and she kicked at the rubble with his other leg until it budged away from her, "I'm coming - " she gasped, digging her nails into the dirt and glass and dragging herself through the mud. She could feel glass brushing her shirt and sliding at her stomach, her legs had her going dizzy, and she had to stop for fear of vomiting, or passing out, or both. "I'm coming, Five!"

"Vanya?" Five gasped, "are you really there?" and with a new found strength she kept going, screaming every time a piece of rubble moved her leg even an inch, "Vanya you're okay,"

"Define okay," she smiled weakly, "I'm going to get this off of you, okay?" Five nodded and she grasped the bricks, "shit - the fucking fireplace," she swore and Five managed the twitch of an amused smirk, "can you breathe? are you okay?"

"Well, I don't need an oxygen mask, but I could do with some more chest space," Five wheezed, "the bricks are kind of uncomfortable,"

"I need your help here, Five," Vanya slipped her hands under the bricks and Five copied her, "One, two -  _three-_ " they both yelled and Vanya squeezed her eyes shut, fighting against the intense agony in her arms and she threw herself at the bricks, knocking them off, 

"Vanya? stay awake,"

"Shit-" Vanya gasped, 

"I think your leg is broken, cease movement for now, or you'll definitely faint. Where are the others? what do you remember?"

"I don't know - I don't know, I was in darkness and I brought the house down,"

"She got to you too, huh, that one - I hope the building crushed that one," Five said, his voice was deep and dark and shook with unveiled fury. 

"I didn't see Allison but I heard her- she went to look for all of you,"

"I heard her scream right before the house came down," Five said, "take my hand," Vanya frowned and grabbed it and Five closed his eyes, "come on - come on," he whispered, gritting his teeth and Vanya gasped as her body lit up and that blue and orange flame danced around them, and then she was screaming as her leg hit the ground painfully, "shit - bit of a jerky ride, but a ride none the less," 

"You jumped with me," she gasped out, 

"Yes. It should be safe here for you, stay here, and I'll find the others-"

 

 

**Number Four / Klaus**

"Ah, shit, well good to see you again," God stared back at Klaus, the anger was written all over her face, eyebrows drew down. "I didn't mean to - well, I mean, I did mean to but I didn't - you know?" 

"You are an idiot, Klaus Hargreeves," God said, "and I still dislike you very heavily,"

"It's an upgrade from hate, though," Klaus beamed, 

"Your brother's souls are forever connected to yours," she glanced over his shoulder and Klaus turned and looked at Diego, who stood with his arms crossed, and Ben who was tugging leaves off of a tree, "why do you reckon that is?"

"I don't know," Klaus shrugged, "because I'm a ghostie conduit? I assume you're sending me back,"

"Yes," God nodded, "because I feel as though you are not finished on Earth quite yet. You have much to do,"

"Ben had  _much to do_ ," Klaus mocked, "a lot of people have stuff to do and they die and come here anyway, why am I so different - you can't hate me  _that_ much. There has to be another reason you keep doing this,"

"It's simple," God pointed out, "there are countless outcomes to every choice and every situation that arises. Countless universes where things are very much different, and Klaus Hargreeves, despite infinite outcomes, infinite universes, with every single difference you can imagine, there is not a single one in which your brother lives,"

"Why?" Klaus sneered, 

"It is not the way it should be," she replied, "he was never meant to live. But always watch over you and your family, you will never bring him back-"

"Yes, I will!" Klaus argued, "and you can't stop me,"

"I can't, no," she agreed, "but you also can't do it. You were never designed to be able to do that and the universe will not allow you to let him live, whatever will be - will be,"

"And Diego?"

"Diego Hargreeves, Number Two," she sounded like she was thinking, "he's similar to Ben. Only there is not a single universe in which he is dead, except this one. Diego is the love interest - you see," and at Klaus's weirded out face she sighed, "the love interest meaning he is the female character, who must die and suffer to develop those around her. A meaningless death to further those around him. A meaningless death to force him to grow as a person,"

"It's not meaningless," Klaus hissed, "what's that thing people always say? - everything happens for a reason,"

"You are still such a whiny child, you could never stay here until you grow yourself, Klaus,"

"Yeah well, you will not be murdering _anyone_ else I love to force me to grow up," Klaus said, "I'm sick of losing things, I'm sick of losing myself, I'm sick of losing people. I'm sick of dying - and I don't want to fucking come back here  _ever again!_ " 

"That is the answer I was looking for from the moment the drugs first ever entered your system," God said, "the desire to live," and she shoved him hard.

"Klaus?" Klaus looked away from the ever darkening sky to his left, smiling as he saw Dave crouched beside him, "you're...you came back," he whispered, "that's not possible- that... _what are you?_ " and Klaus frowned, "are you...a ghost, a demon?"

"I'm just me," Klaus whispered, "I'm just me..."

"But you  _died_ , you _can't_ be him," Dave argued, 

"Remember when everyone else was celebrating Christmas, and you told me about what you do during the Holiday's - the Hanukkah thing, and I made you all those shitty candles from sticks I collected in the woods?" Klaus laughed weakly, "and every day I gave you a gift,"

"Fucking hell, Hargreeves," Dave snapped, "you scared the shit out of me. If you ever do that again I'll shoot you execution style," and Klaus laughed loudly, rocking the concrete on top of him, "you shoved me out of the way,"

"I don't think they'd legally let me marry a ghost. Who knows," Klaus snorted, "either way, I want my sexy, relaxing, honeymoon. And I want to embarrass the shit out of my family," he smiled, "now, could you get this off of me, I'm being crushed to death again," and Dave swore and grasped at the rocks, sliding them off of him. "How bad is the damage?"

"Your ribcage probably looks like porridge inside," Dave said, "you're going to have a hell of a scar on your forehead. Couple of broken fingers, did you hit your head?"

"Mmmm... dunno," Klaus muttered, "carry me, soldier-!" and he lifted his arms, and Dave rolled his eyes and scooped him up,

"you're going to embarrass me, too. Aren't you?"

"What? what kind of Fiance do you think I am?  _of course I'm going to embarrass you_ ," 

"Too late to take the proposal back?"

"I already said yes now, Didn't I. Well, technically I haven't, so  _yes_ , ha ha - you're stuck with me, sucks for you," 

"Just when I thought I was about to get away," 

"Hey! I resent that-"

"Klaus, you good?" Klaus was feeling pretty tired, and especially quite envious to see Luther didn't even have a scratch on him. 

"Hey man, haven't seen you all day, where you been?" Klaus grinned, "you're covered in dust,"

"It's been a long fucking day," Luther sighed, "I just got trapped in the basement, crushed under the entire house, took me forever to dig my way out," and honestly Klaus would have paid to see it. "Where's everyone else?" 

"Come on my little minions, go fetch!" Klaus beamed to his brothers, and they took off without argument, but Diego did send him a pretty heated glare. "Said with love!" he called to them, "Ben and Diego are on it.  _Fuck -_ breathing sucks...Dave, there's a really pissed off looking guy behind you,"

"Move-" Luther shoved at them, hard enough that Dave almost dropped Klaus who hung on tighter, and then Luther was throwing a pole, and Klaus was throwing up, just barely missing Dave's feet. 

"That was fucking gross, Luther, Jesus," Klaus gasped, wiping his mouth, "you speared the fucker in the chest  _The Omen_ , style," and even Dave looked put off by the giant pole sticking out of the man's chest. 

"Since when did you have such a weak stomach?" Luther asked,

"since it got turned to mash potato five minutes ago," 

"Vanya's with Lewis they're fine, Five is with Allison - but they're both hurt," 

"Thanks, Ben. Vanya is on her way with Lewis - they're unharmed, and Five is with Allison but they're both hurt. Ben, how are they hurt?"

"I don't know but they're covered in blood and can barely walk straight," he replied, "Allison especially, she's mostly leaning on Five,"  _that_ wasn't good to hear. But at least no one died this time, he had to say that. "You need to clean them up so you can have a look at the damage, anyone have a phone?"

"Anyone have a phone?" Klaus repeated, and they all looked each other, "for an ambulance, duh," 

"The house just  _fell on us does it look like we have anything on us except blood, dirt and fucking bits of bodies?"_ Luther snapped, 

"Snap at me again and I'll kick you, Ben asked first!" Klaus yelled back, 

"this isn't helping anyone," Dave interjected, "Klaus, slim it. There's a car over there, if one of you can hotwire it we can just drive to the hospital. I'm gonna set you  down so I can help take a look at your family," 

"Fine, fine," Klaus waved his hand, groaning at the pressure on his ribs as he was set against a slab of concrete. "God I'm gonna vomit again, shit, that's so much blood, I don't do great with blood man-" 

"Jesus Christ - Allison!" Luther bellowed, running towards them,

"And Five..." Klaus muttered, "poor Five, are you okay buddy? your big brother Luther is so worried about you, you're covered in blood, are you _both_ okay not just you Allison," and Dave took off after him, "Diagnosis doc?"

"I don't know, Klaus," Dave said, "Five's ear is bleeding, just the one. Your sister - I can't really identify what's up, too much blood, and we don't have anything to wipe it away. We don't want to put dirt in there,"

"Dave, honey, I'd just shove a rag in there - she'll be fine, probably, gotta sus the problem spot, right?" Dave sighed and yanked off his shirt, 

"If you pop anything I'll hit you," Diego hissed at Klaus, "keep your fucking pants on," he warned,  _"Klaus!_ " he snapped his fingers in front of Klaus who jolted back,  _"I mean it!_ "

"Okay okay, chill out," Klaus said, "this isn't exactly the most ideal situation to be getting a bo-"

"Shut up," Ben groaned, " _fuck-_ "

"Holy shit we gotta go to the hospital-!" Klaus yelled, startling everyone, he tried to stand but grasped at his ribs and wheezed, "shit fucking hell-" he swore loudly, "I'm good, I'm good, we gotta go now. Where's Vanya-"

"Klaus take it easy," Dave hissed,

"Allison's missing a fucking eye don't tell me to take it easy!" Klaus yelled, "we gotta go right  _now!_ "

"And you panicking is making everybody  _else_ , panic!" Dave said back, "keep your head screwed on, Hargreeves," and Klaus nodded quickly, "breathe. Okay, good, now you're going to march up to that car, and you'll hotwire-"

"Five's the only one-"

"then Five will tell you how to hotwire that car, and then you will drive us all to the hospital, in a calm and orderly fashion, do you understand?" and Klaus nodded quickly, "take ahold of Five, and go,"

"I'm guessing he's done that a lot," Diego said,

"You have no idea," Ben replied, 

"I'm laying you down okay, just stay still," Luther whispered to Allison, "we're going to get you to the hospital, and I'll kill anyone that keeps trying to come after us. I'll end this fight, I promise,"

"It's already over," Dave said, "whoever survived must have fled,"

"Shit - shit no, no, no, Allison-"

"Vanya's she's okay, she's alive," Luther said, and Lewis had to grip onto Vanya's waist to stop her from trying to leap out of his arms,  "calm down,"

"did I do this?" Vanya gasped, "is this my fault - this is my fucking fault, no, I hurt her again all I do is hurt people I don't - I can't live, I can't be here to keep hurting people hurting my family over and over, until I've killed you all, I already killed everyone in the world. These powers - they're evil, I'm evil-"

"You're not evil," and Luther grabbed her face, "you're extraordinary," and her eyes filled with tears, "you're unique, and you're different and you're powerful like every single one of us, but not evil. If you're evil then we're evil-"

"You're not-"

"exactly. She'll be fine, Vanya. We've survived so much worse, and if you didn't bring this house down who knows if we would have even survived. We're so lucky to have you fighting on our side. Are you okay?"

"My leg-" Vanya whispered, "is everyone else?"

"Five's banged up, Klaus has a few ouches here and there. Dave is totally fine, and I'm totally fine," and Vanya nodded, "Klaus and Five are trying to-" and just as he spoke the car lights lit up and he could hear Klaus cheering, "bring her. We gotta go," he said to Lewis, who nodded back, "I've got Allison,"


	32. The Relieved Sigh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five In the hospital.

**Number Five**

The world was on fire. It turned and it turned and it turned, bright faces lingering above him, he could see an equal swirl of pink and began mumbling his brother’s name, it could have only been Klaus. Dark hair, blurry white face, “You’re good,” Klaus’s voice came in, And Five promptly vomited and Klaus propped him over the bar attached to the bed he was been wheeled in, “aim for the floor - I think,”

Five did just that until a nurse shoved a bucket under his chin. The last thing Five remembered was seeing the knife go through Allison’s eye, he wouldn’t have been proud to admit he screamed at the sight. And before he could even move forward to help a gun went off, right next to his head. He could smell the smoke in the air, the gun was so close, pressed so tightly to his head so why wasn’t he dead?

Because the coward didn’t want to kill what he thought was a kid, of course. Which was lucky, Five couldn’t have fought back, not when the ringing started, shaking his very core and ripping apart his brain, and he’d stumbled and hit the floor and the world starting shaking and it hadn’t stopped shaking. It never would.

”Five, can you tell me what happened?” The doctor asked, Five blinked slowly and collapsed back on the bed, head hitting the pillow. “I need to know what happened,” _Dolores, I live again._ He thought to himself, _this world is a sheep and I am the wolf._

“the hell is wrong with him?”

”He’s just a little confused, Mr. Hargreeves,” The doctor said, “I believe he may have suffered a head injury or - judging by the graze here, perhaps been shot,”

”We’ve been shot a lot of times. There’s no way he’d babble and vomit over a little graze,” Klaus pointed out, and his brother was floating away again and that fucking ringing was back. _Ring like an emergency alarm, danger danger._

 _“_ We’ll certainly look after him,” the doctor assured, and another held out their hand to stop Klaus from moving, Five leaned up, head flopping around as he watched the doors swing shut. “Did you bump your head, Five?”

” _did...cheat at medicine school?”_ He mumbled back, “ _idiot,_ ”

”Five, can you tell me what happened?” And Five’s eyes slipped closed. 

 

The doctor said it might come back, but Five was no idiot. “Right ear is...” Klaus trailed off, “messed up?” He tried and Five nodded slowly. He didn’t think the three layers of bandage around his head was necessary for some simply ear bleeding. 

“Yes, well, someone hesitated in killing me, shot centimetres from my ear, my hearing already wasn’t great - I am so used to having the ears of an older man,” Five sighed, “alas, I escaped with my life,” _deaf in one ear._ “It shouldn’t effect my work too much, however, the possibility of it messing with my powers due to an uneven shift in my balance may be an issue,”

”Well, join the team of ‘we can’t control shit anymore’ still waiting on Allison and Diego for that one...oh yeah that’s true, it’d be bad if you couldn’t stop yourself throwing knives at people,”

”I assume Diego and Ben are around?”

”Ben was, he’s went to see Allison. She hasn’t woken up yet, but I might customise her an eyepatch all brightly coloured and stuff to make her feel better,” Klaus said, “I’ll make you a shirt that says _speak into my left ear, asshats,_ ’ if you want,”

”Your inability to deal with people’s injuries will always amaze me,” Five said, “I’m an old man, Klaus, one little ear isn’t going to effect me any,”

”You keep going on about how you’ve already lived your life, but the first time around was all stabby murder dead family, the second was dedicated to making sure Vanya was happy, and then apocolaypse averted. When do you get to have your life exactly?”

”Wise words, you surprise me,” Five said, 

“I think Ben’s been around me so long he’s starting to change me and it’s disgusting,” Klaus grimaced, “here’s me, being helpful, being wise. Turning into an honest man. Which by the way me and Allison are going to have talks about traitors. Look what they’ve done to me,” and Klaus held up his hand,

”Hm, congrats are in order, I suppose. At least I assume it’s a wedding band,”

”Yeah,” And Klaus let the twitch of a smile come on his face before he shook his head, “I'm going to be _you_ in the next few years,”

”You always were the Peter Pan type, so desperate to stay immature,” he sighed, 

“Do you think this is it, Five? I’m holding my breath here,” and Five had to stop to think, he had to hold his own breath for just a moment. There was a possibility of the commission being angry that he wasn’t doing his job at the present moment, but he and the new Handler had formed some sort of understanding... and dare he say _friendship._ And anyone left over from Icarus’s army could sure cause trouble.

Not enough to prepare for war. “I think you can breathe now, Klaus,” Five said, and Klaus let out a long breath and curled into himself, “There will always be another killer Eiffel Tower. And insane man who wants to take us down. Someone trying to show off, they’ll always Be some sort of threat but... nothing we can’t handle,”

”You’re in then? You really want to bring the team back together,” Klaus said, “The Umbrella Academy, fighting together not with each other?”

”I think I wish to fight on the side, but I am going to work towards joining Diego,” Five shrugged, “the Police Academy, however, more of a detective status. But I will become batman at night, just like him,”

”I like that, Five,” Klaus beamed, “I think I’m just going to hang around for a bit, work on seeing if I can bring Diego and Ben back. Then I’ll go off and get _married_ \- Christ on a cracker. Then I have no plan, didn’t plan to get this far,” because really, Klaus had never wanted anything out of life. He lived in the moment. “I think Dave’s been through enough wars,”

”You’re always causing fights, I don’t think they’ll ever be enough wars for you,” Five smirked, “Now, I’m feeling dizzy and tired-“

”Right I’ll stop chatting your ear off. I’m gonna...you know-“ he whistled and pointed behind himself and Five lay down, closing his eyes when the door clicked shut, _Detective Five Hargreeves, has a nice ring to it, Dolores. Really, they need me down there, Diego is all action no brains, with a Sherlock Holmes on board they might actually get into some sort of semblance of order._

_Well, Wherever you are Reginald Hargreeves, we did it. We stopped the apocalypse, became an almost real family, grew and learned as people, protected the city and ourselves, and we did it all. Without. You. If you do still exist somehow, I wonder how you must feel now. Is the pride for us you’re feeling tearing you apart Inside, did you secretly hope deep down we’d fail?_

_Did you imagine the day you would have to stop the abuse And let us just live? - I wonder if you would have became a father. That would have been a shock to the system._

_But look at us, father, look at how we did what you never could. We tamed the beast of Vanya’s powers, we made Klaus take his role and power seriously, we made Allison selfless, Luther more loyal and of a team player, Diego slightly softer - and me? Well, I guess you could say you got me to admit to myself I can’t  do everything, that I can mess up. There are places my intelligence won’t help me._

_But you didn’t do that, we did that. To ourselves, for ourselves, and for each other._

And Five grinned to himself and pulled the blankets tighter around him.


	33. The Epilogue.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goodbye.

**Number Seven / Vanya**

”It’s not a date!”

”Is too!”

”Is not-“

”Would you two shut up? Half deaf and I can _still_ hear your voice in every nerve ending of my brain,” Five hissed, massaging his temples. “I can’t believe strangers are _still_ looking at me like that,” oh yeah... Vanya had been there at the interview, sitting in the audience with her siblings, as Five explained his worrying test results after his visit to the hospital last year.

His cells weren’t reproducing, rather the opposite. In every way Five was forever immortal, forever trapped in a circle of time and space, forever to be seen as nothing more than a child. It wasn’t easy to work towards becoming a detective when you’re a forever child, but thank Diego for that.

”It’s a date,” Diego pointed out, and Klaus held up his hand to high five him, and Diego ignored it. “Want to grab a bite to eat and talk about failed relationships,” he teased, “ _want to text me every night for a year-“_ and Vanya shoved at him.

”Diego can hardly talk, he’s been peeing himself with fright over Eudora and marriage,” Ben commented, and Klaus choked on his spit.

”No way, Ben! Ha, our forever-ghost just told me something very interesting about you-“ and he pointed at Diego, “did me using nearly all of my power to bring you back give you some perspective,” he teased, “does little Diego want to Be an honest man?”

”Ben, you traitor,” Diego said to the air, “the kid isn’t a problem for her,” and how they must have all looked now. The big lug that was Luther, Allison Hargreeves And her glittery eyepatch, Vanya and her light grey eyes, tiny number Five, Klaus in all of his glory speaking to thin air, and the leather-wearing Diego. 

And they were all pushing babies. “Ben, if I conjure you can you push the twins? I think Dave was right - I’m fattening them up too much,”

”Sure,” Ben agreed, Klaus waved his hands and Ben appeared. Now they looked even stranger. “It’s a date, by the way, Vanya. Lewis is smitten, it’s kind of pathetic,” And Diego snorted loudly and wrapped an arm around Ben’s shoulders. “ _Show me the way to go home,_ ” Ben sung.

” _I’m tired and I wanna go to bed-!”_ Klaus yelled, frightening an elderly couple which stopped to gawk at them all. 

“Sing that one more time-“ Five gritted out,

”Jaws is a masterpiece,” Klaus whined, “what, do you prefer the Smurfs or elf?” And Five tried to grab him, “help - a tiny elf is trying to kill me, save me Umbrella Academy-“ And he screamed as Five teleported in front of him and grabbed his arms, twisting them behind his back. 

" _This just in, a robbery is taking place downtown. There are suspected to be casualties-"_ Luther turned to his siblings and smiled.

"I'll take the children back to the house, " Five sighed, "Klaus did you label their respective rooms yet?"

"Shit, "

"You're such an idiot," Five deadpanned, "well? What're you standing around for? Go!" 


	34. Extras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Couple of extra scenes set after the fic.
> 
> Klaus panics about his upcoming wedding & Discovers his children have powers.  
> Five is given an award.  
> Diego goes shopping.  
> Luther gets some further education  
> Allison receives her first decline for a role.  
> Vanya is *not* going on a date.

**Number Four / Klaus**

Luther had to step up and be the big brother again, Klaus was pretty surprised it wasn’t Diego. Instead, Luther’s giant hands grabbed his legs and yanked -too- hard and Klaus hit the bathroom floor with a massive bang and squeal. He could hear Five’s stupid laugh from outside the room. “I knew it,” Luther deadpanned, “it amazes me how much cowardice And courage you have at the same given moment,”

”I can’t-“ Klaus hissed, “look, I’m just going to hop the window and run. There’s a bus stop about 2.4 miles away that goes to-“ and Luther grabbed his collar, deciding at the last moment not to wring his brother’s neck. “You shouldn’t have expected me to be brave,”

”You can Be - sometimes- You’ve gone through worse, today is meant to be a good day, Klaus,” Luther sighed, “it's like every time something good happens you think it’ll get ripped away, so you run to avoid getting hurt,”

”Well, Hello Mr Therapist,” Klaus muttered, though he couldn’t deny Luther was pretty accurate. 

“The bad already happened,” Luther pointed out, “now you look...well, like you, which is good for you I guess. And I have to admit Dave cleans up _really_ nicely, I mean, that’s a sight I’ll never forget but... if you want to ditch him at the alter...” he trailed off.

”I hate your stupid face,” Klaus gritted out, “I can do this - it’s like banging a guy for a free dinner,” he whispered, “you can do this - ugh, remind me why I said yes?”

”Because we almost died,” Luther said,

”I _actually died._  It was beautifully romantic and tragic,” he sighed, pressing his palms to his chest, “what're the chances I do this the first try? That the first guy I date I marry, and it doesn’t end up with me sleeping on the sofa for our entire marriage?”

”What're the chances you fall in love after time travelling, bring your lover back to life, fight in several wars, resurrect your brother and die hundreds of times, yet still stand here at this moment?” Luther questioned, 

“Okay...” Klaus trailed off, “where’s Diego?”

”Right outside, I’m going to go sit. Try not to fall on your face on your way down,” 

“Glad Luther talked you out of leaving Dave at the altar. Though he’s mushy and disgusting that he probably wouldn’t even mind,” Diego groaned, “You could fuck up a million times and he’ll still see you as a god. Was he built faulty or something?”

”Oh, definitely,” Klaus grinned, looping his arm around Diego’s. “You know what we get to do?” He beamed, “the smash thing, like, when you stamp on the glass?”

”I bet he’s pissing himself,” Diego grinned, “boy do I love watching my siblings partners struggle, its a big brother thing - you wouldn’t get it. Now, do I get to walk you down the aisle without you making us both fall over?”

”I’m not going to fall,” he hoped. He’d went for a typical suit, but had draped the sheer piece of fabric over his suit pants, the one that you only really get on dresses and skirts. Too bad Diego talked him out of a black dress. He still wore black nail polish, and somehow all this white was amusing.

Like him saying _I’m innocent,_ but really lying out of his ass. “Dave looks...my god, Will you judge me if I cry?”

”No,”

”What about if I faint?”

”a little,” 

“What about if I vomit?”

”Vomit on this suit and I’ll beat your ass,” 

 

**Dave**

The first time it happened was three months after the wedding. Klaus was out of the house helping his brothers Diego and Five on a mission of sorts. They sometimes paid him to assist in Police investigations and Klaus liked the easy money. Though he didn’t much like focusing on summoning victims. It was still so otherworldly and strange to Dave.

So he’d been sitting on the floor with their daughter Katrin, who was on her way to turning one year old. When she promptly threw up on him and god did it hurt. Dave leapt up, pulling his shirt away from his stomach and yelling. 

And fuck - Klaus’s new and expensive white Kashmir rug had a giant hole in it. “Acid, of all things you have to spit acid?” Dave complained, “oh...Katrin, look what you’ve done to your Daddy’s rug,” but she was far more concerned with grabbing at the hole in Dave’s shirt and yanking to make it bigger. “At least you’re a good baby, Ben,”

Which was speaking far too soon, because Katrin had triggered Ben who was laying on his tummy in front of the TV and decided to manifest a snail from the show he was watching. “Ben, No!” Dave yelled as the snail slithered across the carpet, “fuck,”

”Dave There’s a fucking bug on my curtains,” Klaus said in way of greeting,

”No Ben! No butterflies!” Dave scolded, “Klaus, I love you but the kids are a nightmare. Katrin spits acid and Ben can create anything he wants,”

”So here are some ground rules,” Klaus said nervously, “No horror for Ben, NONE. If I wake up with Michael Myers or like a vampire - even a cute babysitter vampire from a kid show, standing over the bed - I will flip my shit... hey, Benny, _who wants to watch a show about millionaires?”_ He asked in a baby voice. And Ben gurgled back, picking up the snail And putting it into his mouth. “Gross!” Klaus screamed.

”Ben, spit that out!” Dave yelled, passing Katrin to Klaus, who looked down at her nervously. 

“So...” Klaus said awkwardly, “you know I burn like super easily, but I’m also like - the cool dad of the relationship, so I will be like the most uncool dad ever if you burn me,” and Katrin blinked back, reaching up to wrap her arms around him, “I missed you too, just don’t spit on me, please,” he moaned. He knew he would have to find a way to prevent third-degree burns and creepy cartoon dogs walking out of his television like the ring. 

"Okay, ideas?" Dave asked, "you have the super siblings, what did your da do to help?" Dave didn't need Klaus to say anything to see the flash of memories pass over his face, "that was the dumbest question I've ever asked,"

"right after will you marry me," Klaus pointed out,

"Right. Let's just do absolutely everything your da never did. I want to start with Katrin because she'll be easier to handle, we'll just avoid as much drool as possible, and keep in her little pacifier and hope for the rest. But Ben is where I'm absolutely stumped," how could you exactly stop a child from creating something?

"Oh man," Klaus whined, "I just realized Christmas and Birthday's are so fucking ruined. He'll just pull it out of the TV!" and Dave felt pretty bad for how upset Klaus seemed. 

"Maybe...he has to see an image, let's just see if we can't keep him busy with books. No picture books-" and Klaus whined again, "things like...I don't know, Peter Pan?"

"Giant alligators and evil pirates, do go on, love," 

"And board games- as long as we tape up any pictures, right? we can do this and not die right?" and Klaus's wince wasn't exactly inspiring much confidence. 

"You're going to be churning butter for your entire childhood, yes you are!" Klaus exclaimed in a baby voice, tickling at Ben's stomach with his free hand, "yes you are!" and Ben giggled back, "who wants to only listen to music and read none-picture books and draw pictures with crayons forever, you do!"

 

**Number Two / Diego**

Diego was prowling in various places when he received the text, no context or words to accompany the photograph. He couldn’t really tell what was going on, only Dave had a fly swatter and Klaus had smoke coming off of him and a pout on his face. So Diego tucked his phone away just as another text came in.

A six-second video of Dave lecturing their one-year-old Ben as he turned off the TV, and Klaus snorting. The caption read _Ben has a superpower. He’s using it for evil already, so proud._

“Good To know,” Diego muttered to himself, 

“Hi, how can I help you?”

”W-What would you get a... tough, woman,” Diego said, “like if she was I don’t know - _badass-_?”

”We have this beautiful selection of black diamond encrusted rings,” the girl beamed, “simply stunning, but also fierce and sexy if that sounds like your woman,” and Diego nodded. Eudora was definitely the type to mock and joke with him for buying her a ring, but deep down be pretty touched by it.

Though he still had to call her Patch at work. That was fun to mess around with. After half an hour of ring shopping, he went for a thick black band with a darkly coloured diamond in the middle. He wasn’t planning on skydiving to propose - or sing her a melody on a guitar. They were meant to be watching stuff tonight, so he’d probably just do it then.

So, he sent Klaus a picture and Klaus sent back a video of him screaming, and then a second video of him holding up a yelling Katrin who was copying her father. 

It was fitting, that he gets such a simple ring from a simple clerk. That he went home and at midnight they were setting up a simple movie to watch. And he sat her down and grabbed her hand. That he made a simple statement of _Why not, I only get this way around you for some dumbass reason._

And that Eudora Patch replied, _me too, you idiot._ And slid the ring on. The day after the proposal, however, was pretty chaotic. Eudora was late to work due to a small fire that broke out in her apartment, destroying very little and harming no one, but she had to at least stick around to put it out and make sure it wouldn't relight. And it was also one of Five's many days on the job. They started him on the desk and he never complained for one moment, considering he'd spent 25 years on a desk. He'd told Diego's bosses he was a  _bounty hunter_ of sorts, and had the statements to prove he was a vital asset on missions - he could shoot, his brains were far superior to anyone else's in the office, and they couldn't argue and discriminate against Five.

Five was much more of the mystery type, A Detective, somehow they didn't think a little kid holding a gun and telling some perp to stop would work in his favour and Diego agreed completely. But the interrogation, man, Five swore he could interrogate, that he'd learned every move in the game and he could crack you without even laying a finger on you. He was good.

"Diego, case file number 785633," Five said, Diego was still gripping his morning coffee in his hand. Unsurprising, Five looked like he had been awake for hours upon hours.

"Use the human terms, please," Diego grumbled,

"Case Spider-Gang," Five deadpanned, then put on a wide and fake grin, even Diego could admit the Case name was pretty dumb. "The man gunned down last Tuesday, what did you find?" and Diego poked into his desk and held up the file, going to open and read out his findings before Five snatched it and collapsed next to Diego. 

"You know you have your own partner, right?" Diego sighed, 

"You are also working alongside us on this case, are you not?" Five raised his eyebrows, "I have more than enough right to sit here then. Be quiet," It was the same thing every time on this stupid case, a guy uses a robbery as a way to draw in victims, people that want to act the hero, customers, and the first respondent's on the scene, negotiators, and the 'robber' signals his team, who come swarming in guns blazing and knives drawn and it's a massacre. 

Diego had been first on the scene last time, now always in a haze of confusion on whether or not it was truly a robbery or another staged attack.  He went in full gear with backup, and they kick the asses of the Spider-Gang, most of them fled and one got gunned down and killed. It was how Diego found the thing that tied them together. All had that stupid massive tattoo of the spider in a web on their backs, always like a gang of serial killers disguised as robbers. 

"Do you see a pattern?" Five lay down the three photographs, all of the gang members that had been killed in the past month. Three. Which was pretty pathetic for his team.

"All have the spider tattoo, and own the same handgun," Diego said,

"What else?"

"Dark haired,"

"What else?"

"I don't know Five, just tell me what you see Already,"

"I see youth," Five mused, "do you see this, each victim is so very young. Teens to late Twenties. That tells me they are either suicidal or they only send newbies and people hoping to make a name of themselves to these attacks. That very much gives me the impression of a Pyramid scheme. These are not gang members, but just pawns being used by the real gang. 

And neither Diego nor the ever intelligent Five expected to be hit in the face by a splash of blood. Five, ever quick on his toes grabbed Diego and tossed him to the floor, "We're under attack!" Diego yelled,

"We know that!" Five yelled back, and tried to wiggle out from under the desk, "get off of me, I know what I'm doing-"

"It's dangerous for fuck sake!" Diego sneered, gripping him tighter, 

"We can't lie down and wait to be taken out one by one," and Five punched the arm holding him hard, and kept punching until Diego let go, "come on, cowards! we either fight them off or we lie down and die," and Five stood up, so sharply that Diego felt the air leave his lungs as Five dived across his desk and swiped up his handgun, shooting one of them point blank and using their body to block an attack from a barbed bat. 

Diego followed closely behind, whipping out his knives and aiming for the man trying to hit his brother.

And - suffice to say, Five saved too many lives that day. He was smart and quick, his brain never muddled or fuzzy, always clear of sight and of mind. His fighting hadn't even got worse with his ear, rather Five fought harder - always trying to prove himself, always trying to prove he could outdo anyone even if he had no eyes or ears, no legs or arms. He could still always win. It was a dangerous yet fierce ambitious mindset that Diego loved.

And he got to watch his technically older - sort of younger brother accept a medal eventually. After saving so many lives only to months later solve the case? He was quickly proving himself to everyone, a year working in this force and he proudly displayed his medal.

 

**Number One / Luther Hargreeves**

Diego was supposed to be getting married tomorrow and quite frankly Luther was sick at the thought, he felt like all of his siblings were truly adults now. Adults with their own lives, and it still weirded him out. And the fact that Tomorrow he’d stand as Diego’s best man made it hard to breathe for all the right reasons.

” _You_ must be Luther Hargreeves,” a voice said, snapping him out his daydream. “Alice. I’m going to show you the bits and bobs - of photography, I mean,” she laughed, and Luther shook her hand, “Okay, so, I’m so curious. You’re coming here to study what? Photography? Why? Don’t you fight crime?”

”Doing that comes before everything else and it’ll always be my one true passion,” Luther admitted, “but I thought I’d learn to capture my life moment by moment. Since I seem to miss so much that goes by,”

”Me too!” She exclaimed, “my memory is really terrible, so it’s like evidence of my life, just imagine a giant book detailing every important moment of your life, all laid out for generations to come. Family and friends, children and great-grandchildren. Strangers. An immortal moment impossible to be forgotten,”

“I like the sound of that,” Luther admitted, taking the camera off of her. “I wish I had more pictures of my brother - or father or at least my childhood home,” What Luther would give for that. “Guess now I can start documenting,” he muttered.

”Exactly,” and when they locked eyes Luther got this sickening, familiar feeling in his bones. Something he’d only ever felt once before. An underlying brooding crush that spelt _TROUBLE. “Hey,_ would you want to hang out for a little bit? Show each other our pictures?” Luther opened his mouth and paused to pull out his ringing cellphone, the name _Allison_ displayed across it.

Luther ignored the call. “Yeah...” he trailed off, “There’s this place my brother swears by, he loves coffee and doughnuts, And keeps complaining that I won’t try it-“

 

**Number Three/ Allison**

Luther had been dodging her calls all morning and on the day - no less - where she needed him most. So she got the next best thing and knocked on Vanya's bedroom door at the house. Mom hadn't seen her, but Pogo mentioned her going in there an hour or two ago, Allison just hoped she hadn't left yet.

"You busy?" Allison asked awkwardly, Vanya was sitting, staring down at her white violin with a puzzled expression, "I could use an ear right now," 

"What's up?"

"I didn't get the role I wanted," Allison admitted, "I... I don't ever want to use this curse again to get my way, I want to earn it. But it turns out people only gave me roles because I forced them to," and she collapsed beside Vanya on the bed.

"You may have made them give you the roles, but you didn't make them like you," Vanya smiled, "nothing's changed, Allison. Except that you need to go off and find a role that you can fulfil. Not every person is going to see you as the perfect fit for the part. But we'll always need media - films and shows and music videos, we'll always need actors. Which means the likelihood that you don't get another role is kind of slim,"

"what if they just don't want...this..." and she gestured to herself,

"your eye doesn't change who you are," Vanya declared, "only idiots will see that, idiots that don't deserve your time or energy,"

"Thanks, Vanya," Allison whispered, "what were you doing?"

"I'm sick of staring at this white and seeing all these bad memories, I'm trying to decide a different colour," Vanya admitted, "I was thinking a royal purple. Just something out there - you know?" and Allison smiled, 

"Gold," she beamed, "would look stunning, the colour of course. Making an actual golden violin would be pretty... costly and time consuming and sort of dumb," she laughed, "oh, did you see what Klaus has been sending people?"

"No..." Vanya winced, "is it dirty?"

"It's something..." Allison trailed off, "suffice to say, I'm never babysitting Ben... so, Vanya..." Vanya looked extremely uncomfortable and frightened all of a sudden and it made Allison laugh, "a little birdy told me you've been talking to a special someone,"

"Klaus," Vanya sighed, "has to be. He knows everyone's everything all of the time. Look, It's not a big deal and it's not like I'm rushing not after - I'm still not totally, I still have... trust issues after  _him_. And it's not like Lewis is a sweet next door neighbour boy, he's the brother of the guy who murdered my brother - who may have been brought back to life but was still murdered," she ranted,

"Well, he has my seal of approval. Just do it, Vanya!" Allison exclaimed, "ask him out. Where would you want to go?" 

"But I'm...boring," Vanya frowned, "I'm like the picnic in the park type or...an art gallery. No one wants to date someone like that," 

"Better than some self centred asshole," Allison pointed out, "he likes you, and if he likes you enough he'll like you with or without your boring qualities," she grinned, "where are you going to go? the carnival is here for four more days, you should take him. I know it's a little bit of the first date for kids, but I think you'd both really enjoy it,"

"You think so..." Vanya already had her phone in her lap, tapping on it nervously,

"Want me to text him?"

"Yes please,"


End file.
